MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Somali federal government is accelerating efforts to establish a new regional administration in the strategic Gedo region, a direct political challenge to the Jubaland state that has now erupted into deadly violence.
The move by Mogadishu to bypass the Kismayo-based Jubaland leadership has culminated in fierce clashes between federal troops and Jubaland forces near the Kenyan border, where a senior Jubaland police commander was killed Monday.
Federal authorities have launched consultations across key Gedo towns, including Beled-Hawo and Garbaharey, to build a local government aligned with Mogadishu.
A federal official involved in the talks described the initiative to Caasimada Online as part of a “broader stabilization and reconciliation strategy” to create an administration that “truly reflects the will of the people.”
This political maneuver is rooted in the central government’s public refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Jubaland’s president, Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Ahmed Madobe, whose 2019 re-election it deemed unconstitutional.
The plan for a parallel government in Gedo aims to cement federal control and operate independently of Madobe’s administration.
Political tensions erupt into violence
The government’s political gambit has violently spilled over onto the battlefield. On Monday, intense fighting broke out near the strategic town of Beled-Hawo.
Jubaland’s Vice President, Mahmud Sayid Adan, accused the Mogadishu-based government of launching an “unprovoked surprise attack.” He confirmed that his forces were ordered to withdraw to prevent further civilian harm, adding, “We want to show the world the injustice happening in Gedo.”
Conversely, Somalia’s Ministry of Defence claimed its forces had “repelled an aggressive attack” by Madobe’s militias. A federal statement confirmed two of its soldiers died and said ten Jubaland fighters were captured, asserting that the Somali National Army (SNA) was in “complete control.”
Jubaland officials confirmed that Colonel Hussein Giif, their police commander for the Gedo region, was among those killed in the assault.
The conflict is the latest chapter in a protracted dispute over Gedo, a region that has become a proxy for the broader power struggle between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and its federal member states.
Gedo’s strategic location, bordering both Kenya and Ethiopia, makes control over it a critical objective. For weeks, federal forces have controlled the vital commercial gateway of Beled-Hawo after ousting Jubaland troops.
The federal-aligned forces are reportedly commanded by Abdirashid Janan, a controversial figure who previously served as Jubaland’s security minister under Madobe. Janan later became a fugitive before aligning with the central government to challenge his former boss’s authority, highlighting the fluid and personal nature of Somali political alliances.
Accusations of foreign interference
The conflict carries a significant international dimension. Commander Janan directly accused neighboring Kenya of intervening on behalf of Jubaland, a long-standing ally.
“The enemy’s defensive trenches… were dug by a bulldozer from Kenya,” Janan claimed, alleging that Nairobi was providing medical aid in the Kenyan town of Mandera to wounded Jubaland fighters.
Kenya has not formally responded, but its government has historically viewed the Jubaland administration as an essential buffer zone against the Al-Shabaab insurgency. Nairobi has been a primary international backer of President Madobe, a policy detailed in analyses by institutions like the International Crisis Group.
With Mogadishu pressing its political project and both sides locked in a military standoff, the situation in the Gedo region remains tense, threatening to destabilize further a part of Somalia already beset by conflict and humanitarian challenges.