Wednesday July 30, 2025
Garowe (HOL) — Puntland’s regional parliament has accused
Somalia’s federal government of deliberately inciting political and tribal
conflict in several volatile regions, including Gedo, Sanaag, and Haylaan—an
allegation that further deepens the rift between Mogadishu and one of its most
powerful federal member states.
In a strongly worded resolution passed Tuesday, the Puntland
House of Representatives condemned what it called "federal
interference" in regional affairs, specifically pointing to the Gedo
region of Jubbaland, where clashes have erupted repeatedly over the past ten
days. Lawmakers described the government’s actions in Gedo as “an illegal
invasion” and warned that continued meddling threatens national cohesion and
risks igniting wider unrest.
The latest fighting broke out in Beled Hawo, a border town
in Gedo, where federal troops and Jubbaland-aligned forces clashed for the
fourth time in less than two weeks. The confrontation came amid the deployment
of Abdirashid Janan—a former Jubbaland security minister who is now serving as
the regional head of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA)
and overseeing federal stabilization operations in Gedo.
“The federal government must refrain from escalating
tensions in regions like Gedo,” the Puntland Parliament warned in its
statement. “Such actions endanger the fragile peace among the SSC communities
and other vulnerable areas.”
The resolution also called for urgent cooperation among
federal member states—specifically Galmudug and Hirshabelle—and the central
government to address the deteriorating security landscape in central Somalia.
The lawmakers stressed that Al-Shabaab continues to exploit political
divisions, urging a unified front against the militant group.
Puntland’s appeal extended to the international community,
asking for “concrete support in intelligence and security operations” to
empower both the Somali federal government and regional administrations in the
ongoing fight against extremism.