HARGEISA, Nov 11 (Horn Diplomat) — The Republic of Somaliland has officially begun enforcing full control of its airspace, marking a major step in the Horn of Africa nation’s assertion of sovereignty and aviation independence, as neighboring Somalia faces a deepening cybersecurity crisis over a massive E-Visa data breach.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Air Transport in Hargeisa announced that, effective November 10, all aircraft entering, departing, or overflying Somaliland must now obtain prior authorization.
In an interview with BBC Somali’s Senior journalist Saleban Saxansaxo, Somaliland Civil Aviation Minister Fu’aad Ahmed Nuh said the directive was part of a broader plan to establish full operational command of Somaliland’s skies.
“The directives we issued clearly stated that, starting today, no aircraft is allowed to pass through Somaliland’s airspace without prior permission,” Minister Fu’aad said. “We have now established direct communication with all aircraft approaching our airspace, informing them of our new procedures. Many airlines have responded positively and are ready to comply with Somaliland’s regulations.”
He added that aircraft failing to comply with the new rules would be diverted away from Somaliland’s territory.
“Those who do not respond or refuse to comply will be asked to leave Somaliland’s airspace starting tomorrow — that order will be enforced,” he told the BBC.
The minister confirmed that Somaliland’s newly installed radar and communication system now enables direct contact with aircraft across national skies, ensuring real-time monitoring and control from Hargeisa.
“We are using advanced equipment that enables us to communicate directly with any aircraft flying over our airspace,” he said, underscoring that Somaliland is now fully capable of managing its own aviation operations.
Video footage circulating onlineshows Somaliland Air Traffic Control issuing live instructions to international pilots — a move widely hailed domestically as a symbol of sovereignty and institutional maturity.
Officials said the enforcement enhances aviation safety and national control, aligning Somaliland with international civil aviation standards and strengthening its case for diplomatic recognition.
Somalia E-Visa Data Leak Triggers Security Warnings
While Somaliland consolidates control of its skies, neighboring Somalia is facing a major cybersecurity crisis following a catastrophic breach of its illegal E-Visa platform, which has exposed thousands of sensitive personal files belonging to foreign nationals.
According to viral posts circulating on social media,the leaked database contains passport photos, identification documents, and visa applications from citizens of several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, diplomats, aid workers, and travelers.
The breach has been described by experts as a “national security disaster”, with fears that the exposed data could be exploited by Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups. Analysts say the incident exposes chronic weaknesses in Mogadishu’s digital governance systems and could deter foreign travel to Somalia.
A detailed thread highlighting the leak and examples of compromised documents has gone viral on social media, according to posts on X
The data exposure has triggered outrage among cybersecurity professionals and diplomatic missions in the region, who are calling for an urgent investigation and tighter data-protection measures across East Africa.
