MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s National Immigration and Citizenship Agency (NICA) said on Thursday it was examining reports that Yemen’s UAE-backed separatist leader, Aidarous Al Zoubaidi, transited through the Somali capital Mogadishu during his flight from Yemen to the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement, the agency said it was taking the allegations seriously and had begun inquiries in coordination with other state bodies.
“The agency, in coordination with relevant national authorities, has launched an immediate investigation to verify the accuracy of these reports and to determine whether any breach of Somali law, established procedures, authorization protocols had occurred,” the statement said.
NICA warned that any confirmed violation would be treated as a grave matter.
“If confirmed, such actions would constitute a serious violation of Somalia’s national sovereignty and immigration regulations. The facilitation of fugitives or the conduct of unilateral operations on Somali territory without lawful authorization is unacceptable.”
Separately, the Somali government reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia’s efforts to broker dialogue aimed at resolving Yemen’s long-running crisis, cautioning that any attempt by Aidarous Al Zoubaidi to flee the process could undermine ongoing diplomatic initiatives.
“The Federal Government of Somalia has publicly and consistently supported the call by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for dialogue in Riyadh as the appropriate political process for addressing the situation in Yemen. Any attempt by Aidarous Al Zoubaidi to evade this process, including through alleged external support, would directly contradict ongoing diplomatic efforts.”
The government said that, should the investigation substantiate the reports, the incident would amount to a violation of applicable bilateral arrangements. It did not specify which country those arrangements involved but said appropriate measures would be taken.
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