Source: Somali Guardian
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Ethiopia on Sunday, just hours after Al-Shabaab insurgents retook control of Mahas, a strategically significant town in the central region of Hiran – marking a symbolic reversal more than a decade after its capture by Ethiopian forces.
“President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to join other world leaders ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), which will take place from July 27 to 29, 2025,” read a statement posted by Villa Somalia on X.
The Somali head of state had traveled to Djibouti on Saturday, accompanied by National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Director Mahad Salad. He held talks with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh on Sunday. Discussions reportedly focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism, regional security, and Djibouti’s continued support for Somalia’s institutional rebuilding efforts, according to a separate statement issued by Villa Somalia.
The Somali federal government has not yet publicly addressed the fall of Mahas—a town of strategic and symbolic value in Hiran region, long garrisoned by Ethiopian troops following its seizure from insurgents over a decade ago. The Ethiopian forces vacated the town last year as part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) drawdown process.
It remains unclear whether President Mohamud intends to request Ethiopian authorities to redeploy troops to Mahas in a bid to prevent militant advances into other towns across central Somalia. However, such a move could raise questions over operational funding, as AU peacekeepers in Somalia have reportedly gone months without pay due to a worsening donor fatigue and funding shortfall.
Mahas carries considerable symbolic weight, having served as a base of operations for President Mohamud during the 2022–2023 anti-Al-Shabaab campaign. At its peak, the offensive reclaimed hundreds of towns and villages across central Somalia. Yet much of that territorial progress has since been reversed, underscoring the fragility of Somalia’s recent security gains.
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