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An Ethiopian plane was denied permission to land in southern Somalia on Thursday, sources at the airport in Kismayo say.

Tension is high in Kismayo, the capital of Somalia's Jubbaland province, where controversial regional elections were supposed to be held on Thursday.


The UN and government, backed by Ethiopia, want them postponed. While the regional authorities, backed by Kenya, want them to go ahead.

Both Ethiopia and Kenya are part of the more than 20,000-strong African Union (AU) force in the country.

A Kismayo-based journalist has reported that more than 90 Ethiopian commandos were thought to be on board the plane that tried to land.

Many Kenyan troops are based in Kismayo.

A high-level delegation led by the AU mission commander Tigabu Yilma - an Ethiopian - is expected in the southern city to try and mediate a solution to the impasse.