"Somalia Warns Ethiopia: 'We Are Ready for You!' Amid Escalating Tensions"

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia says it will not be scared of threats from Ethiopia over the controversial agreement with Somaliland, arguing that it is ready for any action from Addis Ababa, which targets its military and civilians at the expense of peaceful coexistence.

Ethiopia has repeatedly refused to showcase remorse for its actions that appear to infringe Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, having signed an agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland, over the access to the Red Sea without authorization of Mogadishu.

Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, Somalia’s Defence Minister, says the country shall not succumb to threats from Ethiopia, adding that any actions from Addis Ababa shall be met with severe consequences.

“We want a peaceful and neighborly coexistence between Somalia and Ethiopia. However, if Abiy’s and Jula’s fragile regime cannot embrace peace, let those who stoke the flames of fear and conflict see who is willing to face the fire and consume the raw meat," he said.

He was responding to Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) leader, who claimed that Somalia was incapable of taking any military action against Ethiopia, a statement which has undoubtedly angered Somalia.

"Hassan Sheikh is not capable of fighting. He must first secure Mogadishu before he can even consider confronting us. He should first secure his seat,” Jula said in a new interview.

Somalia had threatened to arm Ethiopian rebels to destabilize the fragile administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Jula stressed that Addis Ababa has allies in Somalia who will thwart such actions and are prepared to attack Ethiopian rebels if they are welcomed there.

“If there is someone who receives assistance from foreign forces trying to meddle in our internal issues through supporting rebels and sending us into civil war and attacking one’s own country, they are a traitor,” the Ethiopian army chief remarked.

“Now he is saying he will support our traitors. We don’t need traitors in Somalia, as we have friends there. We have friends who would tell him no and who would attack the movements,” he added.

Ethiopia is optimistic about getting 20 kilometers of access to the Red Sea for the construction of a military base and port in exchange for recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state. Somalia terms Ethiopia's actions as 'intolerable and unacceptable'.

GAROWE ONLINE