Ethiopian officials reportedly attempted to reconcile Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf and MP Hirale, who have been at odds for years, but failed after the Somali leader rejected the offer, according to the sources.
"The Ethiopians want to help Hirale attack Kismayo, but [President] Abdullahi Yusuf opposed the idea," said the confidential source.
Kismayo, the capital of Lower Jubba region, is Somalia's third-largest city after Mogadishu in the south and Hargeisa in the north.
Peace and tranquity has returned to Kismayo in recent weeks, although local residents now say they are anxious about renewed warfare in a city that has endured endless battles since the early 1990s.