Puntland Escalates Standoff With Mogadishu, Bars Federal Officials and Outlaws Recruitment of Militias

Garowe (WDN) – Puntland has significantly escalated its political and security confrontation with the Federal Government of Somalia, announcing sweeping measures that bar federal officials from entering its territory and outlaw the recruitment and movement of armed groups linked to Mogadishu.

In a strongly worded statement, Puntland’s Ministry of Security declared that individuals holding positions within the Federal Government will no longer be permitted to enter Puntland through its airports, border crossings, or other points of entry.

The administration also banned the recruitment of militia forces within Puntland and prohibited the movement of armed technical vehicles and irregular fighters operating outside Puntland’s security framework. The measures mark a new phase in the increasingly strained relationship between Garowe and Mogadishu. Puntland officials argue that the decisions are necessary to safeguard regional stability, constitutional autonomy, and public security amid what they describe as growing federal interference in local affairs.

The statement further warned against meetings, gatherings, or political activities deemed harmful to Puntland’s constitutional order, stressing that authorities would take action against any individual or group accused of undermining the administration. The announcement builds on Puntland’s earlier decision to prohibit the presence and movement of Federal Government military forces within its territory. This latest directive goes a step further by extending the restrictions to federal officials originating from Puntland, effectively barring them from entering the region by air or land.