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SOMALIA: KENYA BANS FLIGHTS TO TWO SOMALIA AIRPORTS October 28, 2005
<|qanyare_kenya_sm.jpg||left|>Kenyan government informed its airline companies not to land at Dayniile, one of Somalia's busiest airports near Mogadishu and another airstrip in Marka, controlled by Mohamed Qanyare Afrah and Sheik Yusuf Mohamed Siad “Indha Ade†respectively. This move will hurt financially the faction leaders who receive tax, security and other administrative fees from flights to and from Kenya. All other airports are not affected.
Airlines that ignore the government's decree will face losing their licenses.
Unconfirmed reports say IGAD ("Eas African" Intergovernmental Authority on Development) is behind Kenya's decision to pull the plug on faction leaders who oppose the interim government. IGAD countries participated in Somalia’s two-year long reconciliation conference before the current government was established in Kenya last year.
Another Mogadishu based faction leader, Muse Sudi Yalahow told Horn Afrik TV station in Mogadishu they will use anti-aircraft guns against Kenyan registered planes if they change route and use other airfields. A Kenyan airline company owner told the same station that his company and others will abide by their government’s decision. He said “We all carry full insurance†when asked about the threat from affected factions.