MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali government has criticised contents of a statement made by the UAE on Mogadishu violence on Friday.

In a press conference on Sunday, Somali information minister, Osman Abukar Dubbe said that the UAE violated international law when it referred to Somalia’s government as an interim government.

The minister told the reporters that UAE government is needed to respect the legitimacy of Somalia’s government.

“We have been dealing with them (UAE) as brothers but Somali government and its people could see UAE aim to create chaos in Somalia. Somali people watched horror films of civil war decades ago and are not willing to witness such incidents once again,” the minister said.

Dubbe accused of UAE authorities of fanning political disputes in Somalia saying Dubai presses some of the country’s stakeholders to breach agreements with the federal government.

“We are aware that some of the regional state leaders left for Dubai just after they sealed poll deal with the federal government but returned to the country with agenda to break the agreement,” Dubbe said.

Dubbe called on Dubai authorities to apologise for describing Somali government as “interim government”.

The remarks of the minister comes a day after a statement by UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs termed the current government led Farmajo as the interim government, calling on the government and all parties to demonstrate the highest levels of restraint in order to achieve Somalia’s aspirations to build a secure and stable future for all.

UAE also “expressed grave concern” over the violence levelled by the government against protestors.

“The United Arab Emirates has expressed its grave concern over the deteriorating situation in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, as a result of the ongoing violence and the excessive use of force against civilians,” Dubai said in the statement.