Thursday May 8, 2025
Garowe (HOL) — A security guard assigned to the Speaker of the Puntland Parliament was injured on Wednesday night in a clash with police forces in Garowe, the capital of Puntland.
The confrontation occurred near the Adduun Hotel in the Nugaal region, where police were conducting an operation targeting illegal weapons, according to a police officer who spoke to HOL on condition of anonymity.
Police attempted to disarm the Speaker’s security personnel, who were reportedly not wearing official military uniforms and were stationed at a local business. The officer said the clash began when the Speaker’s guards refused to surrender their weapons, prompting an exchange of gunfire.
The Speaker of Parliament has not issued a statement on the incident.
The clash comes amid heightened security operations in Garowe following the recent killing of two civilians. Local authorities have vowed to crack down on the presence of illegal firearms in the city.
A day prior to the incident, the Nugaal regional administration and security agencies launched a campaign aimed at removing illegal weapons to bolster public safety in the Puntland capital.