Somalia: Puntland Bans Airlines From Landing at Its Airports

Text of report by Somali independent Radio Gaalkacyo on 20 SeptemberPuntland has banned the airlines which obeyed Al-Shabab’s order banning flights to Adan Adde International Airport in Mogadishu.

Puntland has received a directive from the aviation department of the Transitional Federal Government and from the president of Somalia, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad, to ban the airlines that obeyed the order of Al-Shabab.

A Puntland official has told Radio Gaalkacyo that the administration has decided to slap a ban against these airlines landing anywhere in Puntland. He added that the administration will implement the ban within this week.

The move comes after several airlines obeyed the order by Al- Shabab not to fly to Adan Adde International Airport in Mogadishu and ignored the directive by President Abdullahi Yusuf urging the airlines to call Al-Shabab’s bluff.

How ever, residents of Puntland are concerned about this ban saying that it will impact on their plans to travel abroad.

Originally published by Radio Gaalkacyo, Gaalkacyo, in Somali 1015 20 Sep 08.

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