Wednesday August 5, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Heavy fighting erupted before dawn Wednesday between Puntland regional security forces and the Puntland Security Force (PSF) in eastern Galkayo, raising fears of renewed internal conflict in the semi-autonomous state.
Witnesses said both sides exchanged mortar fire and heavy machine-gun fire near Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed Airport, with Puntland government forces reportedly shelling the PSF headquarters.
Although both sides have exchanged heavy fire, there were no immediate reports of direct ground assaults between the two forces.
Neither the Puntland administration nor Somalia's federal government had issued an official statement on the fighting by Wednesday morning.
The clashes follow weeks of mounting tensions between Puntland authorities and the PSF. The two sides were involved in an earlier confrontation, with each accusing the other of provoking the violence.
The latest escalation has heightened fears of a wider conflict after Puntland reportedly deployed additional troops to the area, while the federal government accused the regional administration of mobilizing weapons and forces.
Puntland religious leaders, elders and politicians have expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation, urging both sides to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through dialogue to prevent further bloodshed.
The PSF, which has declared its alignment with Somalia's federal government, was established in the early 2000s as an intelligence-led counterterrorism force. It played a key role in Puntland's campaigns against al-Shabab and Islamic State militants in the Cal Madow and Cal Miskaad mountain ranges.
Relations between the PSF and Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni's administration deteriorated after Deni took office in 2019, culminating in deadly clashes in Bosaso in 2021. Although the two sides later reached an agreement aimed at resolving the dispute, key provisions were never fully implemented. Puntland authorities have since maintained that the PSF no longer operates as part of the state's official security structure.
