Friday August 1, 2025
FILE - Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni delivers a televised address from Garowe
Garowe (HOL) — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni warned Friday that escalating federal military operations in the southern Gedo region are endangering Somalia’s stability and could spark a broader breakdown of national cohesion.
Deni urged the Somali federal government to withdraw its forces from Gedo, where recent troop deployments have resulted in deadly clashes between rival units of the national army. The violence has caused civilian deaths and large-scale displacement, he said.
“This conflict is not only tragic but dangerous,” Deni said. “If it continues, it could lead to the collapse of the Somali state. Reason must prevail, and the government must consider the interests of the Somali people.”
“It is alarming to see a government tasked with defending national unity instead fueling internal divisions to serve short-term political ambitions,” Deni said.
The Puntland president also warned that the fighting could erode the international community’s trust in Somalia’s leadership and jeopardize foreign support for national reconstruction.
Deni’s remarks come amid a simmering standoff between the federal government and Jubbaland authorities over control of Gedo, a strategic region in southern Somalia. The area has long been contested between Mogadishu and Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, known as Ahmed Madobe, a close political ally of Puntland.
The tensions reflect broader strains between the federal government and its member states, many of whom accuse President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of centralizing power at the expense of Somalia’s federal system.
Deni also criticized the government’s priorities, noting that while Al-Shabaab has regained territory in recent months, federal forces remain focused on internal disputes.
“At a time when terrorist threats are growing, the government is directing its forces against peaceful communities,” he said. “This undermines national security and weakens Somalia’s position on the global stage.”