Beled Hawo (Caasimada Online) – Heavy fighting broke out Friday in the strategic Somali-Kenyan border town of Beled Hawo between federal government forces and troops loyal to the regional administration of Jubaland, marking a dangerous escalation in a long-simmering political dispute.
Somalia’s federal government immediately blamed the leader of the semi-autonomous Jubaland state, Ahmed Madobe, for instigating the violence, which followed several days of rising military tension and a previous deadly confrontation earlier this week.
Witnesses in Beled Hawo, a crucial commercial hub in the Gedo region, reported the sound of heavy weapons and sustained gunfire concentrated around a military outpost known as the “UK Camp.” Federal forces occupy the base under the command of Abdirashid Janan, a controversial figure recently appointed by Mogadishu as the regional intelligence chief.
While official casualty figures from Friday’s fighting have not yet been released, the clashes have stoked fears of a broader conflict.
In a strongly worded statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Internal Security accused the Jubaland leader of recklessly endangering civilians. “The federal government strongly condemns the shedding of Somali blood, which is being spilled needlessly by Ahmed Madobe,” the ministry declared. It alleged that Madobe had ordered his militia to attack “national army centers and civilian locations.”
The statement further branded the Jubaland president an “accused person” and vowed that he and his allies would be held accountable for what it termed “criminal acts.”
The violence is the latest flashpoint in a protracted power struggle between the central government in Mogadishu and the Jubaland administration based in the port city of Kismayo. At the heart of the dispute is control over Gedo, a region that is technically part of Jubaland but where the federal government has sought to exert direct authority, often bypassing the regional leadership.
A battle for a strategic town
Beled Hawo’s position on the border with both Kenya and Ethiopia makes it a vital gateway for trade and a strategic prize. Control of the town and the wider Gedo region is also crucial for influencing national politics, as regional powerbrokers play a significant role in the selection of members of Somalia’s federal parliament through an indirect, clan-based electoral system. Clashes in the region have historically intensified around election periods.
The situation has been deteriorating for days. Earlier in the week, deadly fighting was reported after both Mogadishu and Jubaland deployed additional forces to the area, creating a tense standoff.
Fueling the current crisis is the presence of Abdirashid Janan, the commander of the federal troops in Beled Hawo. Janan is a former Jubaland security minister with a complex and volatile history involving the leader, Ahmed Madobe.
Janan has previously been accused of serious human rights violations and famously escaped from custody in Mogadishu in 2020 before eventually surrendering to the federal government. His recent appointment as the federal government’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) commander for Jubaland was seen by many observers as a direct provocation to Madobe’s administration.
Ahmed Madobe, a former Islamist commander, has been the president of Jubaland since its formation and has maintained a tense and often adversarial relationship with successive federal governments in Mogadishu. He views the federal government’s military presence in Gedo as an illegal occupation aimed at undermining his authority.
In its statement, the federal government called on the people of Jubaland and Gedo to “unite against” Madobe, accusing him of dividing the population and committing abuses.
The escalating conflict poses a significant threat to regional stability and distracts from the ongoing fight against the Al-Shabaab Islamist insurgency.