Friday Sermons Rally Puntland as Tensions Rise Over Alleged Federal Military Activities

Garowe (WDN) – Friday prayers across Puntland’s capital, Garowe, became a platform for calls to safeguard the region’s security and political stability as tensions continue to mount over allegations that Somalia’s Federal Government is seeking to undermine Puntland through military deployments and weapons transfers.

Imams and religious scholars used their weekly sermons to urge residents to remain united in defense of Puntland’s peace, warning against what they described as attempts to destabilize one of Somalia’s most stable federal member states.

The increasingly vocal response from Puntland’s religious leaders reflects the growing public anxiety over the unfolding crisis. By addressing the issue from mosque pulpits, they have elevated the dispute beyond politics, framing the preservation of Puntland’s peace and stability as both a civic and moral obligation.

The clerics called on the public to reject any actions or actors they believe threaten Puntland’s security, emphasizing that preserving peace and constitutional order should remain a collective responsibility. The sermons come amid an escalating political confrontation between the Puntland administration and the Federal Government in Mogadishu.