Egypt Strengthens Ties with Somalia Amid Rising Tensions with Ethiopia

An Egyptian warship delivered a major arms cache to Somalia, escalating tensions with Ethiopia. The move follows a joint security pact between Egypt and Somalia. Earlier, Ethiopia had upset Somalia by signing a deal with Somaliland. Egypt's aid aims to support the Somali army's capabilities.

An Egyptian warship has delivered a second major cache of weaponry to Somalia, including anti-aircraft guns and artillery, according to port and military officials on Monday. The move, likely to escalate tensions among Somalia, Egypt, and Ethiopia, comes as Egypt and Somalia bolster their alliance against Ethiopia.

This year, Egypt and Somalia have strengthened ties, driven by their shared distrust of Ethiopia. Following an August joint security pact, Cairo sent several aircraft loaded with arms to Mogadishu. The agreement saw Ethiopia leasing land for a port from Somaliland, in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland's independence, a move condemned by Egypt.

Unloading of the weapons began on Sunday, one diplomat reported. Security forces cordoned off the quay and surrounding roads, transferring the arms to military bases. Meanwhile, Somaliland expressed concerns over the potential for the weapons to fall into the wrong hands, specifically the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group. Egypt's foreign ministry asserted that the shipment is part of its commitment to bolster Somali army capabilities.

(With inputs from agencies.)