As Somalia Federal Authorities smile all the way to the bank
By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun)- In a space of one hour between 12-1am on 12th June 2017 somalilandsun recorded over 15 airplanes overflying the Somaliland airspace.
These flights all by foreign airline companies navigated the Somaliland airspace through Gabile, Buhodle and Odweine with most of them overflying through Hargeisa.
With the UAE followed by ethiopis recording the highest number of flights within this period, others included Kenya airways and Qatar airlines the later having been banned just a day earlier from utilizing Somaliland airspace.
The Qatar airspace ban in Somaliland came after the administration of president Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo reached an unanimous decision during an extra ordinary cabinet meeting at the presidency in Hargeisa with the ongoing gulf crisis as only agenda.
Read: Somaliland: Government warns against Airspace Transgression, Backs Saudi Against Qatar
At a post meting presser the foreign minister informed that following strenuous deliberations as pertains national economy, foreign relations and regional politics the Somaliland is sympathetic to the Saudi Arabia position as related to the expulsion of Qatar from the Gulf Cooperation council-GCC
After accusing the government in Doha of support to terrorist and terrorist organization Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and a collection of other states have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and are trying to blockade Qatar by air and sea since Monday last week.
The GCC is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
Qatar has denounced the allegations against it, and according to its foreign minister Khalid bin Mohammad Attiyah, who is Moscow seeking Russian anti1blockade support the measures against the country “illegal”.
Read:What Does Russia Hope to Achieve by Negotiating With Qatar?
According to the Somaliland government which termed its decision to back the Saudi position on alleged economic and political benefits thence immediate cessation of contact with the government in Doha, the suspension of relations also includes use of the county’s airspace by Qatar airline.
While terming the Somalia government as without any jurisdictional authority over its air, land and sea properties Dr Saad Ali Shire warned that any airliner especially one granted overfly permission by the government in Mogadishu more o Qatar airways shall face dire consequences.
To call the Somaliland tough talk on the Qatar ban, somalilandsun can confidently inform that Qatar airways had over five flights traversing the Somaliland airspace between 12-1am on 12th June 2017, some even at low level flight heights thence visible by the naked eye by those interested in Hargeisa
Some of the recorded Qatar airways flights within Somaliland airspace at that time and date include
1. Flight QTR1360 FROM QTR 1360 from Johannesburg to Doha, TYPE(B788) Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, REGISTRATION A7-BCU, MODE-S CODE 06A0B9,
2. Flight QTR 1438 from Djibouti to Doha, TYPE (A320)M Airbus A320-232, REGISTRATION A7-ADE ,MODE-S CODE 06A023
3. Flight QTR 1408 from Los Angeles to Doha, TYPE(A333), Airbus A330-303, REGISTRATION, A7-AEB, MODE-S CODE06A032 AND
4. Flight QTR1331 from Doha to Khartoum among others
In the meantime owing to the fact that Somaliland does not possess, that is as per common knowledge, any arrangements with Kenya, Qatar, Ethiopia and UAE owned airline companies it is obvious that the Somaliland government authorities are laughing all the way to numerous banks to cash in on Somaliland airspace
Ironically only one UAE flight was observed traversing the Somalia airspace on this particular time and date
