Puntland Declares PSF Has No Legal Status as Rift Over Security Forces Deepens

Garowe (WDN) – Puntland’s Presidency has issued a categorical declaration that no security force operating under the name Puntland Security Force (PSF) has any legal status within the state’s official defense structure, underscoring the widening political and military rift over competing chains of command inside the region.

In a statement released late Tuesday, the Puntland administration sought to end growing public debate over the force’s legal standing. “The Puntland Government clarifies that there is no force known as the PSF that legally forms part of Puntland’s defense forces,” the presidential statement said.

The declaration comes amid heightened tensions following recent armed confrontations between Puntland security forces and fighters identifying themselves as PSF, the latest of which erupted last week in the Laag area near Bosaso.

Contradicting Local Elders