Saturday September 16, 2023
Beledweyne (HOL) - Beledweyne's Ugaas Khalif Airport has remained closed since last Friday due to a dispute among Hirshabelle state officials over tax revenue.
According to one airline official based in Beledweyne, Hirshabelle Vice President Yusuf Ahmed Hagar Dabaged and Hirshabelle's Minister of Transport and Aviation, Musa Salad, are at odds over the airport's tax income.
"Except for ATMIS planes, there have been no local flights, and the airport has been closed for the second consecutive day," the official noted.
This closure is not the first time Beledweyne Airport has faced such a situation related to revenue disputes, with the primary concern being the impact on the residents of Beledweyne.
Both federal and regional state authorities have refrained from commenting on the closure of Ugaas Khalif Airport in Beledweyne. This issue arises as the federal government continues military operations in Galmudug and Hirshabelle States.