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After weeks of mounting tensions and a day after heavy fighting in Galkayo, the move has temporarily eased fears of another major clash in Puntland’s commercial capital.

However, security experts caution that the transition also creates a sensitive period during which authorities must quickly secure former military installations and prevent extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab and ISIS from exploiting any security gaps in the Bari region.

The development follows Puntland’s seizure of former PSF positions in both Bosaso and Galkayo after military operations targeting federal-aligned PSF units.

Although the handover in Bosaso occurred without reported fighting, analysts warn that the underlying political dispute between Puntland and Somalia’s Federal Government remains unresolved, leaving open the possibility of renewed confrontations if a political settlement is not reached.

Security and Political Risks Remain

The latest developments underscore the growing divide between Puntland and Mogadishu over security authority and the deployment of federal forces inside Puntland.

Continued military rivalry between Puntland forces and federal-aligned units risks further straining relations and weakening coordination against common security threats.

Bosaso serves as Puntland’s economic hub and principal seaport, meaning any deterioration in security could disrupt trade, investment, and daily economic activity.

The recent clashes in Galkayo also highlighted the humanitarian risks of such confrontations, with civilians exposed to mortar fire and heavy weapons as fighting spread near residential neighborhoods.

Potential for Renewed Conflict

Despite the withdrawal from Bosaso, observers caution that the crisis may not be over. The PSF remains a well-trained force with experienced personnel and loyal supporters.

Without a comprehensive political agreement, tensions could re-emerge elsewhere, particularly if either side attempts to alter the existing military balance.

The situation also raises broader regional security concerns. Puntland continues to face challenges from Al-Shabaab and ISIS militants, particularly in the Bari Mountains, while maintaining security commitments in other disputed regions.

A prolonged internal security crisis could divert military resources away from counterterrorism operations, potentially creating opportunities for extremist groups to regroup and expand their activities.

Economic and Humanitarian Consequences

Any prolonged instability would carry significant economic costs. Bosaso’s port is a vital gateway for Puntland’s imports, exports, and commercial activity.

Continued insecurity could discourage investment, interrupt supply chains, and increase the cost of goods across the region.

Escalating violence could also trigger civilian displacement, place additional pressure on humanitarian agencies, and complicate international assistance efforts.

Development partners have consistently emphasized that political stability and effective security coordination remain essential for sustaining economic growth and humanitarian support in Somalia.

Path Toward De-escalation

Analysts argue that preventing further conflict will require both immediate security measures and sustained political dialogue. Among the proposals being discussed are:

• Establishing a joint mediation committee involving the Federal Government, Puntland, traditional elders, religious leaders, and regional or international partners such as the African Union, IGAD, or the United Nations.
• Negotiating formal security arrangements governing the deployment of federal and Puntland forces within Puntland.
• Clarifying the future status and command structure of former PSF personnel through security sector reforms.
• Reviving constitutional dialogue to address long-standing disputes over federal-state powers, security responsibilities, and resource sharing.

While the peaceful withdrawal from Bosaso has lowered immediate tensions, its long-term significance will depend on whether Puntland and the Federal Government can translate the current pause in fighting into a broader political agreement.

Without meaningful dialogue, analysts warn that the military standoff could re-emerge, threatening both Puntland’s stability and Somalia’s wider security landscape.

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By midday, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni declared victory, announcing that government forces had taken full control of the base and dismantled what he described as an “illegal armed force” operating outside Puntland’s command structure.

“Today, 5 August, Puntland forces conducted a security operation in Galkayo, securing the military base that had been used for the wrong purposes,” Deni said in a recorded address from Garowe. “The base will now be used by Puntland security forces.”

The operation followed months of rising tensions over the presence of PSF fighters in Galkayo, a city divided between Puntland in the north and Galmudug in the south, where competing political and security interests have repeatedly brought the two administrations and the federal government into confrontation.

At least four killed, more than 100 captured

Journalists in Galkayo told Kaab TV that at least four people were killed during Wednesday’s fighting.

Puntland authorities later said they had captured 101 PSF personnel, including around 60 who were wounded, although officials said most injuries were not life-threatening.

Among those detained was the deputy commander of Somalia’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT), a specialized unit under the Somali Police Force. His capture has raised fresh concerns that federal security personnel are increasingly becoming involved in internal political and regional disputes instead of focusing on national security and counterterrorism operations.

Videos filmed inside the captured base showed Puntland soldiers celebrating after taking control of the compound.

“We are inside the PSF base. We seized their weapons. We will treat the men well. They are our relatives,” one soldier said.

Another warned fighters who remained loyal to the federal government: “This is what happens to those who misled you.”

Residents later entered the compound, with witnesses reporting civilians carrying away weapons, ammunition and other military equipment left behind after the fighting.

INSIDE PSF BASE #GALKAYO: Puntland soldiers speak to the camera after capturing PSF base.

Soldiers say: “We are in the PSF base. We seized their weapons. We will treat the men well. They are our relatives.”

Another says “We tell those who misguided you, this is what you will… pic.twitter.com/yPsaU3uhBE

— Kaab TV (@KaabTV) August 5, 2026

Fighting followed seizure of federal weapons convoy

The assault came less than 24 hours after another security incident in southern Galkayo.

On Tuesday afternoon, at least seven people were injured after clashes erupted between Galmudug security forces and local clan militias after two trucks carrying weapons—reportedly delivered by the federal government—entered the city.

Local militia fighters eventually seized both vehicles, further heightening tensions ahead of Wednesday’s operation.

The back-to-back incidents underscored the growing militarization of Galkayo, where Puntland authorities accused Mogadishu of using rival forces to pursue political objectives.

Following the operation, President Deni accused outgoing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud—whose term ended in May—of attempting to undermine Puntland by supporting rival armed groups.

“We will not allow any armed force other than Puntland security forces to operate inside Puntland,” Deni said.

He warned all remaining armed groups to surrender immediately or face similar military action.

Deni also thanked neighbouring Galmudug for maintaining cooperation during the operation and said both administrations remained committed to preserving peace in the divided city.

Mudug Governor Abdiweli Jibriil Bayle echoed the president’s position, saying Puntland would never tolerate armed groups operating independently of state institutions and urging residents to cooperate with security forces.

“I urge the citizens to remain calm and be vigilant,” the governor added.

Somalia’s federal government had not issued an official statement by Wednesday evening.

The absence of any immediate response leaves unanswered questions about the future of the PSF personnel captured in the operation and whether Mogadishu intends to continue supporting forces opposed by Puntland.

Why the PSF has become a source of conflict

The Puntland Security Force was originally established in 2002 as an elite counterterrorism unit with extensive international support, particularly from the United States, to combat al-Qaeda-linked militants.

For years it operated largely outside Puntland’s regular security command under its own leadership.

After President Deni sought to bring the force fully under Puntland government control, divisions emerged within the PSF. Some commanders accepted integration, while others rejected the move, leading to an armed confrontation in Bosaso in late 2021.

Although a political settlement later reduced tensions, disagreements over command, funding and political loyalty never fully disappeared.

In recent months, Puntland officials have accused the federal government of rebuilding and financing rival PSF factions in Bosaso and Galkayo without the approval of the Puntland administration.

The dispute intensified after former PSF commander Gen. Asad Osman Diyano was appointed Commissioner of the Somali Police Force by the federal government.

Leadership of the remaining PSF forces then passed to his brother, Mohamud Osman Diyano, a move that Puntland says revived the long-running conflict over control of the force and reinforced its allegations that Mogadishu was backing parallel security structures inside the state.

Relations between Puntland and President Mohamud’s administration have steadily deteriorated over constitutional reforms, federal power-sharing and security policy.

Puntland officials allege that Mogadishu has supplied weapons, funding and logistical support to armed groups operating inside Puntland—including factions linked to the PSF—in an effort to weaken the regional administration and increase federal influence.

The federal government has consistently rejected accusations that it is attempting to destabilize Puntland, maintaining that its security assistance is intended to strengthen national institutions and combat terrorism.

However, repeated reports of federal weapons deliveries to contested areas, alongside the presence of federal security officers within locally aligned forces, have reinforced Puntland’s claims that Mogadishu is increasingly intervening in regional security affairs.

A conflict years in the making

Wednesday’s fighting is the latest chapter in a dispute that has simmered for nearly five years.

The first major confrontation erupted in December 2021 in Bosaso, Puntland’s main port city, after Puntland ordered the integration of the PSF into its official security forces. Heavy fighting killed and injured dozens before negotiations brought a fragile ceasefire.

Although open warfare subsided, political distrust continued.

Since then, Puntland has repeatedly accused the federal government of attempting to rebuild parallel security structures inside the state, while Mogadishu has sought to expand the presence of federal security agencies in Puntland.

The latest violence in Galkayo suggests that the underlying dispute has evolved beyond a disagreement over one security force into a broader struggle over who controls armed power in Somalia’s federal system.

The seizure of the PSF base comes at a particularly fragile moment for Somalia, where political divisions between the federal government and several regional administrations have deepened amid disputes over constitutional reforms, elections and security governance.

The capture of more than 100 fighters—including officers linked to federal security institutions—illustrates how increasingly blurred the lines have become between regional forces, federal agencies and politically aligned armed groups.

While Puntland says Wednesday’s operation was necessary to restore the state’s monopoly on the use of force, some analysts warn that repeated military confrontations between Somali security actors risk plunging the country deeper into clan-based conflict, further fragmenting its already fragile security architecture, and diverting personnel and resources away from the fight against Al-Shabaab.

The post Puntland Captures PSF Base in Galkayo in Major Blow to Somalia Federal Government appeared first on Kaab TV.

The post Puntland Officially Rejects the Puntland Security Force (PSF) appeared first on Kaab TV.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Puntland Presidency said it is “closely monitoring all military activities” allegedly aimed at destabilizing the semi-autonomous state.

The government reiterated that there is no Puntland Security Force (PSF) that is legally integrated into the Puntland State Defense Forces and stated that no military force registered with the Federal Government is authorized to operate within Puntland’s territory.

Puntland also appealed to neighboring Galmudug State and the international community, urging them to prevent the movement of military equipment and militia forces through Galmudug-controlled airports and territory if they are intended for operations against Puntland.

The statement emphasized the long-standing relationship between Puntland and Galmudug, citing a history of “good neighborliness, security cooperation, and peaceful coexistence.”

Finally, the Puntland government called on the people of Puntland to remain vigilant and defend both their territory and the state’s institutions.

The statement comes amid heightened political and security tensions between Puntland and the Federal Government, following recent clashes near Bosaso involving Puntland forces and the Puntland Security Force (PSF), as well as an increasingly deep constitutional and political dispute between Garowe and Mogadishu.

BREAKING: Puntland Accuses Somalia’s Outgoing President of Trying to Destabilize the State, Warns Galmudug Against Facilitating Military Movements

The Puntland government has accused Somalia’s outgoing President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, of attempting to incite conflict and… pic.twitter.com/VgSKVKEZQa

— Kaab TV (@KaabTV) July 25, 2026

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