🔗 Share this article

Somali Presidential Palace

A major security compromise in the Federal Republic of Somalia's e-visa platform potentially disclosed personal information pertaining to many thousands of travelers, comprising United States passport holders, the American embassy in Somalia has alerted.

Officials stated gathered credible reports that "unidentified hackers" compromised the Somali government's electronic visa system, likely endangering information belonging to at least 35,000 individuals.

The exposed records circulating online comprise personal identifiers, photos, dates of birth, marriage information, home addresses and email contacts, as stated in a US embassy statement issued on recently.

"This information compromise continues to occur and potentially disclose any sensitive details submitted to the application portal," United Kingdom officials has also warned visitors.

"Consider the risks before applying for an electronic visa required for entry into the Somali nation."

Government Response

Somali authorities have remained silent about the security compromise. But authorities has shifted visa application system from the original e-visa website to etas.gov.so, without offering an official explanation.

"Even though Embassy Mogadishu lacks the capacity to validate if personal information belongs to the breach, people who have submitted applications for a Somali e-visa could be impacted," the US' statement said.

Territorial Consequences

The updated visa process requires all travellers, comprising individuals from the autonomous region of Somaliland and the partially independent area of the northeastern region, to apply for travel visas online.

Opponents claim applicants have experienced supplementary costs in specific areas, amounting to repeated fees.

Regional Dynamics

The self-declared republic, which declared independence in 1991, manages its territory through independent structures but has not been internationally recognised. Somalia insists that this territory still constitutes its jurisdictional area.

The reported compromise contributes to ongoing disputes between Mogadishu and northern authorities concerning jurisdiction of aviation space. Although Mogadishu regained full control of national aviation space in 2017, Hargeisa administration persistently challenges the arrangement.

Current Developments

The disagreement intensified in recent days as Hargeisa's chief executive the Somaliland president said the breakaway region would not accept Somalia's e-visa and directed that carriers are required to secure clearance from Hargeisa prior to accessing the region's aviation space.

However leading carriers have refused to process individuals without federal visa authorization.

In the latest development, Hargeisa's international relations official Abdirahman Dahir Aadan reiterated that "anyone travelling to the northern territory should receive travel authorization on arrival", declaring the federal electronic visa platform posed risks and cautioning that "people's data could be accessed by radical elements" as a result of employing the platform.

Passenger Complications

The impasse has caused certain visitors traveling to Somaliland stranded at airports due to rejection at check-in for lacking the federal electronic visa.

The northern region's aviation official, Fu'aad Ahmed Nuux, has informed journalistic entities that the instructions - initially declared previously - were implemented on 10 November.

He said airlines that do not comply would be instructed to reroute, and claimed multiple planes had been forced to change paths.

Airspace Control Conflict

Recorded material released by the northern region's air transport department appears to show territorial flight directors providing guidance to global airline crews - a move hailed internally as an assertion of Somaliland's autonomy.

Nevertheless the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority maintains it maintains sole administrative and legal control over the Mogadishu Flight Information Region (Flight Information Region), that includes the entire country's aviation space. Authorities have instructed every plane to disregard any instructions issued by sources besides Mogadishu.

Authorities alerted that failing to comply with federal and global flight regulations could pose safety risks and result in "serious legal consequences".