Mogadishu – A planned official trip by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to London where he’d attend the coronation of the new king of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, alongside other global leaders, has been canceled due to security concerns, Horn Examiner understands.
According to reliable sources, in denying the president’s entry to its country, the United Kingdom authorities denied an official request by the Villa Somalia for a direct flight from Mogadishu to Heathrow, citing concerns about safety protocols at the Aden Abdulle, Somalia’s largest International Airport in Mogadishu.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was one of the notable leaders initially invited to attend the historic event, which was supposed to take place next week at Westminster Abbey in London.
The cancellation of the Somali President’s visit to the UK also led to the indefinite postponement of an event at Chatham House which he would discuss the long-term vision for peace, stability, and integration in Somalia and the wider region, the British think tank confirmed.
The decision to cancel the trip comes amidst heightened security concerns in Somalia, as security officials expressed concerns over possible terrorism threats by al-Shabab which despite facing military pressure across the country, still poses a security threat, including to the country’s airports.
The Aden Abdulle International Airport has been a target of several attacks in the past, including a 2016 attempt by al-Shabaab to bring down an airliner after a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a Daallo Airlines aircraft which left a gaping hole in the plane. Only the bomber who has reportedly detonated explosives-rigged laptop midflight died in the blast with the other passengers survived as the plane made an emergency landing.
The United Kingdom government, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has since issued travel advisories and advised against all travel to Somalia, citing a high threat of terrorism and kidnapping in the region.
In its advisories that followed the botched flight bombing, the UK Government has further recommended that its citizens residing or visiting Somalia should remain vigilant and avoid high-risk areas.
The Somali government has not yet commented on the cancellation of the trip or whether a rescheduling is possible.
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