A major data breach in Somalia's electronic visa system could have exposed personal information belonging to tens of thousands of applicants, including US citizens, the US embassy in Somalia has warned.
The agency said it had received credible reports that “unknown hackers” had infiltrated the Somali government's e-visa platform, potentially compromising the data of at least 35,000 people.
Leaked documents circulating online include names, photographs, dates of birth, marital status, home addresses and email contacts. according to a statement from the US embassy released on Thursday.
“This data breach is ongoing and may result in the disclosure of any personal data you enter into the system,” The UK has also issued a warning to travellers.
“Consider the risks before applying for an e-visa to travel to Somalia.”
Somali authorities have not commented on the violation. But the government has moved its visa service from evisa.gov.so To etas.gov.sowithout providing official explanations.
“While the embassy in Mogadishu cannot confirm whether personal data is part of the breach, Somalia e-Visa applicants may be affected,” the US statement said.
The BBC has contacted the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) for comment.
Somalia's new system requires all travelers, including from the self-proclaimed republic of Somaliland and the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, to apply for entry visas online.
Critics say travelers in some regions are faced with additional fees amounting to double the cost.
Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, governs itself through its own institutions but has not received international recognition. Somalia maintains that the region remains part of its sovereign territory.
The alleged violation exacerbates long-standing tensions between Mogadishu and Hargeisa over control of Somali airspace. Although Somalia regained full control of its airspace in 2017, Somaliland continues to dispute the arrangement.
The dispute escalated further this week when Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro said Somaliland would not accept Somalia's e-visa and ordered airlines to seek permission from Hargeisa before entering its airspace.
However, major airlines refuse to board passengers without Somalia e-Visa approval.
On Saturday, Somaliland's Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aadan reiterated that “anyone traveling to Somaliland will receive a visa on arrival”, saying Somalia's e-visa system is not secure and warning that “people's data could fall into the hands of extremist groups” through its use.
The standoff has left some Somaliland-bound travelers stranded at airports after being denied boarding for not having a Somalia e-visa.
Somaliland's Civil Aviation Minister Fuad Ahmed Nuuks told the BBC that the directives, first announced earlier this year, came into force on November 10.
He said airlines that did not comply would be ordered to reroute and said several planes had already been diverted.
Footage released by Somaliland's aviation ministry showed local air traffic controllers giving instructions to international pilots. Domestically, the move is celebrated as an assertion of Somaliland's autonomy.
However, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority insists it retains sole administrative and legal control over the Mogadishu Flight Information Region (FIR), which covers all of the country's airspace. He ordered all aircraft to ignore any instructions given by authorities except in Mogadishu.
He warned that failure to comply with Somali and international aviation regulations could pose a security risk and lead to “serious legal consequences.”
Additional reporting by Natasha Buti.
