UK Politician Takes Land Route to Somaliland after Flight Ban

GOOBJOOG NEWS | HARGEISA: A member of the House of Lords has arrived in Hargeisa after Somalia earlier barred a flight he was on from entering its airspace.

Michael Ashcroft said in a post on X that his first stop upon arrival in Somaliland was the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the city, which he praised for being well maintained.

“First place I visited on arriving in Somaliland was the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery. As usual, it is beautifully maintained,” he wrote, adding that he is a supporter of the organisation.

Reports indicate Ashcroft entered Hargeisa overland from Ethiopia after the Somali government denied his flight access to its airspace earlier in the week.

There has been no immediate official comment from authorities in Somalia on the reported airspace restriction.

The development highlights sensitivities around travel to Somaliland, a self-declared region that Somalia considers part of its territory, and comes amid ongoing tensions over diplomatic engagement and access routes.