GAROWE (Kaab TV) – Puntland and Somaliland have exchanged 26 prisoners on Wednesday in a rare gesture of goodwill that could signal the beginning of renewed cooperation between the two former rival administrations.
On Wednesday, Puntland released 15 Somaliland prisoners captured during the August 2023 battle in Goojacadde, Las Anod—a region once contested by both Hargeisa and Garowe, but now under the control of SSC-Khaatumo.
The detainees, dressed in suits, were flown from Garowe and received in Hargeisa, marking a significant symbolic moment.
For the first time, Puntland sent senior advisers from the presidential office to Somaliland’s capital—an unprecedented move given Somaliland’s self-declared independence from Somalia.
In return, Somaliland released 11 Puntland detainees held in Hargeisa prison.
Authorities in Hargeisa provided each freed prisoner with a $500 cash grant upon their departure.
Traditional elders, led by King Osman Mohamud Buurmadow of the Isaaq clan, accompanied the Puntland returnees aboard a chartered flight.
Collaboration between Puntland and Somaliland
In a press statement, the Puntland presidency confirmed the prisoner swap was the result of a direct agreement between the two sides, without federal involvement.
Puntland’s Minister of Interior, Abdi Farah Said, said the deal was made independently.
“Tomorrow matters more than yesterday. This is the time for both sides to work together against extremism and for opportunity,” Abdi Farah said during a reception for the delegation in Garowe.
Somaliland also welcomed the renewed contact.
Speaking in Garowe, King Buurmadow described the exchange as a step toward ending hostilities.
“When we cooperate, we can achieve great things,” he said.
The influential elder suggested that collaboration between Puntland and Somaliland could reshape Somali federal politics—a possible indication of aligning forces ahead of the Somali federal elections in 2026.
However, the move has drawn criticism from SSC-Khaatumo and the Federal Government in Mogadishu.
Both claimed credit for facilitating the release—claims Puntland has rejected.
Federal Ministry of Justice and SSC-Khaatumo Justice Department said the process was part of ongoing federal efforts, while Puntland dismissed those statements as inaccurate.
Federal Minister of Energy, Abdullahi Bidhan, who hails from Las Anod, accused Puntland President Said Deni of opposing SSC-Khaatumo’s recognition by Mogadishu.
He linked the timing of the exchange to federal tensions and recent visits to Las Anod by federal leaders.
In response, Puntland’s Minister of the Presidency, Abdifatah Abdinuur, accused Bidhan and Villa Somalia of “attempting to sow discord between Puntland and SSC-Khaatumo through financial and political manipulation”.
While Puntland has not endorsed secession, the Garowe leadership continues to advocate for a confederal model in Somalia, seeking greater regional autonomy.
The prisoner exchange may mark a rare thaw in relations between the two northern states of Puntland and Somaliland, which have long been at odds over territory dispute.