Somalia Expels Ethiopian Ambassador Over Naval Base and Port Deal Disputes

Somalia has expelled Ethiopia's ambassador, closed two Ethiopian consulates, and recalled its own ambassador to Addis Ababa amid a dispute over Ethiopia's plan to build a naval base in the breakaway region of Somaliland. This move follows Ethiopia's agreement to lease 20 km of coastline in Somaliland to set up a naval base, prompting a defiant response from Somalia and raising concerns over the fate of 3,000 Ethiopian soldiers stationed in Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission. Tensions between Mogadishu and Puntland have also risen, with Puntland's state council declaring its withdrawal from the country's federal system.