Puntland Warns Galmudug Over Alleged Militia Transit

Puntland’s regional government on Saturday accused neighboring Galmudug State of allowing airports and territory under its control to be used for moving militia and military supplies allegedly organized by Somalia’s federal government to threaten Puntland’s security. The statement, issued by the Puntland administration, called on Galmudug to halt any such passage and instead prioritize good-neighborly […]

Puntland’s regional government on Saturday accused neighboring Galmudug State of allowing airports and territory under its control to be used for moving militia and military supplies allegedly organized by Somalia’s federal government to threaten Puntland’s security. The statement, issued by the Puntland administration, called on Galmudug to halt any such passage and instead prioritize good-neighborly relations and security cooperation between the two states. No immediate response has come from Galmudug.

The accusation lands amid a rapid deterioration in relations between Garowe and Mogadishu, driven by a dispute over who commands security forces operating in Puntland and by wider disagreements over federal constitutional changes and the expired mandate of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government. It matters now because the rhetoric has already translated into gunfire: just a week earlier, two rival Puntland-aligned forces clashed on the ground, raising fears that political friction could escalate into broader armed conflict in the country’s northeast.

Puntland’s statement said it was monitoring military activity it linked to forces under federal command and to the Puntland Security Force (PSF), which Garowe says has effectively aligned itself with Mogadishu. The administration described the activity as a direct threat to its security.