Flights between Puntland and Mogadishu Cancelled Today Due to NIRA ID Card Requirement

Domestic flights between Puntland and Mogadishu were canceled this morning, after it was reported that the Somali government imposed a requirement that passengers traveling within the country must have the National Identity Card issued by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA).

Reports from Garoowe Airport indicate that passengers scheduled to fly with Freedom Airlines, whose flight was Garoowe–Mogadishu–Nairobi, returned to the airport after it became clear that the NIRA identity card was required.

Passengers stated that this issue became an obstacle to their travel, as there are no offices in Puntland where NIRA can issue the identity card.

Some of the people whose travel was canceled this morning were said to be traveling to Mogadishu and Nairobi for work-related matters, while others were going for medical services.

This situation has also raised concerns about the impact the new requirement may have on domestic movement within the country, especially for those traveling between regions and cities where NIRA services have not yet been fully implemented.

So far, Puntland has not issued an official statement regarding this matter, while Freedom Airlines has not clearly informed all its passengers about the cancellation or changes to this morning's flight.