The security situation in Puntland has deteriorated amid growing tensions with Somalia’s Federal Government raising concerns that the long-running political dispute between Garowe and Mogadishu could escalate into direct military confrontation.
Puntland authorities have deployed additional security forces to the region’s major cities, including Bosaso, Garowe, and Galkayo, while strengthening military positions around Bosaso and key transport routes.
The move comes as the regional administration says it will not permit federal government-affiliated forces to operate or expand their presence inside Puntland, reaffirming its authority over security matters within its territory.
The decision followed a meeting of Puntland’s Council of Ministers chaired by President Said Abdullahi Deni, alongside Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor, during which officials reviewed the region’s security situation and measures to counter what they described as external interference.
Federal Troop Movements Deepen Distrust
The military buildup follows orders directing Puntland security forces to restrict the movement of federal troops stationed in several parts of the region and prevent them from moving between Puntland’s major towns.
Regional officials argue that the measure is intended to prevent what they view as attempts by Mogadishu to undermine Puntland’s security institutions.
Tensions have intensified after reports that the Federal Government has begun paying salaries directly to selected military units based in Puntland. Although these soldiers were originally part of Puntland’s security forces, they were later incorporated into the Somali National Army (SNA).
According to Puntland’s Presidential Security Adviser, 1,376 soldiers in the region are now receiving their salaries directly from the Federal Government.
Puntland officials claim the payments are aimed at establishing a parallel force that could challenge the region’s security structure and weaken the authority of the Puntland administration.
Deni Accuses Mogadishu of Destabilization
President Deni has sharply criticized the Federal Government, accusing it of conducting operations intended to destabilize Puntland. He also alleged that officials in Mogadishu have supported and armed pirate networks that have resurfaced along Puntland’s coastline in recent months.
In one of his strongest public attacks on the Federal Government, Deni accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of creating armed pirate groups, weakening Somalia’s federal system, and interfering in the affairs of regional administrations.
Addressing Puntland’s Parliament in Garowe, Deni argued that Villa Somalia has abandoned the power-sharing principles underpinning Somalia’s federal model and is pursuing policies aimed at concentrating political and security authority in Mogadishu.
Growing Political Rift
Puntland has also renewed calls for the international community to reconsider the lifting of the UN arms embargo on Somalia, which ended in late 2023.
Regional officials argue that heavy weapons acquired by the Federal Government since then could be used against federal member states rather than for national security purposes.
The Puntland administration further accuses Mogadishu of attempting to implement constitutional amendments without the consent of federal member states, warning that such actions threaten Somalia’s federal framework and political stability.
Relations between the two sides have remained strained for months. In March, Puntland accused the Federal Government of deliberately withholding support for the region’s military offensive against ISIS militants operating in the Cal Miskaad mountains.
Federal Appointments Add to Tensions
The latest escalation also follows the Federal Government’s appointment of General Jimale Jama Takar, a former Puntland military commander who later aligned himself with Mogadishu, as commander of the Somali National Army’s 54th Division.
General Takar and other senior officers are currently in Mogadishu for consultations with federal leaders and are expected to return to Puntland in the coming days, reportedly with additional military equipment intended to strengthen federal forces stationed in the region.
President Deni has instructed Puntland’s security forces to remain on high alert and prepare for any potential military action, warning against what he described as attempts to replicate events similar to those that led to the removal of former South West State President Abdiaziz Laftagareen from Baidoa.
Security Concerns Rise
Residents across Puntland’s major cities have expressed growing concern over the increasing military deployments, fearing that continued political tensions could develop into armed confrontations.
The latest developments represent one of the most serious escalations in the long-running dispute between Somalia’s Federal Government and Puntland, raising fresh concerns about national security, political stability, and the future of Somalia’s federal system.
Puntland Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor said the regional government’s security priorities are increasingly focused on defending Puntland against what he described as political interference, declaring that “this year, our primary focus will be defense.”