Tens of thousands of protesters over the weekend took to the streets of Mogadishu and other towns to oppose the deployment of Egyptian troops in Somalia.

The protest was strong in Hudur, the seat of Bakool regional government of Somalia.

According to information reaching APA, authorities were part of the protest and that they expressed their rejection of Hassan Sheik’s government plan to deploy some 10, 000 Egyptian troops as part of a new peacekeeping unit.

The protestors expressed disappointment over the deployment of Egypt’s army and chanted slogans like “No Egypt in our land.”

The governor of Bakool region -Mhamed Abdi – is demanding Hassan Sheik’s government to cancel plans to deploy Egyptian troops.

Apparently Egypt has a history of stirring conflict within Somalia particularly in the Bakool region by way of supporting warlords about three decades ago.

There were also protests in Mogadishu against the possible deployment of Egyptian troops in the country.

Hassan Shiekh Mohamud’s government has not reacted to the protests.

There is heightened tension between Egypt and Ethiopia which has lasted for over a decade due to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile.

Since construction began in 2011, Egypt has viewed the dam as a direct threat to its water supply. Despite multiple rounds of negotiations, including a 2019 U.S.-brokered effort, the parties have failed to reach a lasting agreement.

Egypt has deployed 10,000 troops to Somalia as part of a new AU peacekeeping mission deployment in Somalia.

Ethiopia saw the deployment as a major security threat.

More news from source