But Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's fury and more diplomatic criticism from others forced a rethink (AC Vol 65 No 2 Why Abiy and Muse signed a 'memorandum of misunderstanding')...

They also hoped to take advantage of clan conflicts that had developed in Middle Shabelle and capitalise on elements hostile to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud...

One highly positive development is the accord signed in Ankara between Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud brokered personally by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in December which has calmed the crisis (AC Vol 65 No 14 Abiy Ahmed's sovereignty deal with Muse Abdi risks more regional turmoil)...

In mid-December Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan brokered a deal between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia...

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud saw his own opportunity to recast the region's power map (AC Vol 65 No 16 Djibouti joins fight against the Abiy-Bihi pact)...

Following a failed meeting with Muse Bihi and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Somali Federal Government in December President Guelleh (who is Iise/Mamasan) and his wife Khadra Mahamud Haid (who is Sa'ad Muuse/Haber Awal) tried to reconcile the two men and prevent Djibouti being fought over (AC Vol 65 No 2 Why Abiy and Muse signed a 'memorandum of misunderstanding')...

He also nettled Mogadishu by advising it to focus on internal problems and not to spend money on useless trips abroad echoing the criticisms of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's frequent travels by his local opponents (AC Vol 64 No 7 Mogadishu weighs the ups and downs of its anti-jihadist fight)...

Some suspect the skirmish to be a plot to discredit President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud...