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Somalia downplays security concerns after U.S. terror warning suspends flights
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    Friday March 7, 2025


    FILE - Somali Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Fardowsa Osman Egal, attends a government meeting in Mogadishu.

    Mogadishu  (HOL) — The Somali government has dismissed security concerns after Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines suspended flights to Mogadishu, a decision that followed a warning from the U.S. Embassy about potential terrorist attacks in the capital.

    The temporary halt in flights came after the U.S. mission issued an advisory last Tuesday, cautioning American citizens about possible extremist attacks on key locations, including Aden Adde International Airport. The warning triggered immediate concern, with the two major carriers opting to suspend their operations.

    Somalia’s Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Fardowsa Osman Egal, insisted there was no imminent threat that justified the flight cancellations. “There is no security situation that warrants the suspension of international flights to Mogadishu,” Egal told VOA Somali. “We continue to receive complete intelligence briefings, and no direct threats have been relayed to us.”

    Turkish Airlines, which has been operating flights to Mogadishu for over a decade, reportedly reached out to Somali authorities for clarification before pausing operations. “We made it clear that the advisory did not originate from us and that it was not based on Somali intelligence reports,” Egal said. “They understood our position. While they initially halted flights for a few days, they ultimately accepted our assurances.”

    Despite the flight suspensions by Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines, other international carriers—including Ethiopian Airlines, EgyptAir, and Uganda Airlines—have continued their scheduled operations to Mogadishu without interruption.

    The minister expressed confidence that the two airlines would soon resume flights, downplaying concerns that the U.S. advisory had significantly affected international air travel to Somalia.

     





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