Friday July 3, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday denied allegations that the federal government is fueling unrest in Puntland, saying relations between Mogadishu and the Puntland administration are currently at a standstill.
Speaking in Mogadishu, President Mohamud said there is no active cooperation between federal ministries and Puntland authorities, rejecting claims that the central government is organizing unrest or armed activity in Puntland.
He also denied claims that the federal government is organizing troops or militias in Mogadishu to operate inside Puntland.
President Mohamud said soldiers recruited from Puntland areas had already been part of federal government forces for months and were receiving regular salaries.
He said those soldiers had not been involved in insecurity or unrest.
The president called on Puntland’s leadership to resolve political differences through dialogue, saying the federal government is ready for talks to address the dispute.
President Mohamud also accused Puntland authorities of obstructing some federal government programs.
He cited a plan to train and recruit hundreds of teachers for regional schools, saying the program had been implemented in other federal member states but was rejected by Puntland.
The president’s remarks come as political tensions between the Federal Government of Somalia and Puntland continue to escalate.
Earlier this week, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni accused the federal government of interfering in Puntland affairs and taking steps he said undermined Somalia’s federal system.
Puntland has also issued security directives restricting the movement of non-Puntland forces and military vehicles in areas under its control, while local elders have called for de-escalation to prevent the political dispute from turning into armed confrontation.
