Doolow (Caasimada Online) – Ethiopian troops clashed with Somali federal intelligence personnel on Monday in the strategic border town of Doolow, according to local sources and officials, escalating a volatile power struggle in southern Somalia’s Gedo region..

The fighting, which occurred overnight, comes amid separate deadly clashes between federal and regional forces in the nearby town of Beled Hawo and coincides with a diplomatic visit by Somalia’s president to Addis Ababa.

Residents in Doolow reported that Ethiopian soldiers, alongside forces loyal to the local district commissioner, surrounded a camp housing members of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). An exchange of gunfire ensued, leading to explosions as an ammunition depot inside the camp caught fire.

At least two people, including one federal soldier, were killed in the confrontation, sources said. The camp’s NISA commander, Major Saleban Gayra Garane, and several of his soldiers were reportedly arrested by the attacking forces.

The governments of Somalia and Ethiopia have not yet issued official comments on the incident.

Wider regional conflict

The clash in Doolow appears linked to a broader, renewed conflict for control of the Gedo region between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the administration of Jubaland, one of Somalia’s semi-autonomous member states.

In the nearby town of Beled Hawo, heavy fighting has erupted again between federal forces and troops loyal to Jubaland. Reinforcements for both sides were reportedly seen arriving from Doolow and the town of Elwak, threatening to intensify the conflict.

Jubaland’s administration released a statement accusing federal forces of initiating the hostilities.

“They launched a direct attack on Beledxaawo… causing widespread displacement, property destruction, and fear,” the Jubaland statement said, alleging that federal troops looted homes abandoned by fleeing civilians.

The violence has forced many residents in Beled Hawo to flee their homes to escape the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons, according to local reports.

The Gedo region has long been a flashpoint in the tense relationship between the central government in Mogadishu and the Jubaland administration, led by President Ahmed Madobe. Both sides claim authority over the region, which is strategically important due to its location bordering both Ethiopia and Kenya.

Ethiopia maintains a significant military presence in the region, with troops deployed both as part of the official African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and under separate bilateral agreements.

A tangled web of alliances

The non-ATMIS forces have often acted to protect Ethiopia’s own security interests, which have historically included supporting allied local forces, such as those in Jubaland, against the militant group Al-Shabaab, and, at times, limiting the central government’s influence.

The Doolow district commissioner, Mohamed Hussein Abdi Lafey, is reportedly close to the Ethiopian military units stationed in the town. This local alliance underscores the complex, multi-layered nature of the conflict, where national, regional, and local power dynamics intersect.

The clashes occurred in a moment of diplomatic irony, as Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his NISA chief were in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, attending a United Nations summit on food security. Reports indicated that the Gedo situation was also on the agenda for discussions with Ethiopian leaders.

This is not the first time Ethiopian forces have been accused of attacking Somali federal troops. On December 23, 2024, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement accusing Ethiopian soldiers of an “unprovoked and unexpected” attack on Somali National Army positions in Doolow.

The ministry described that incident as a “blatant violation” of a bilateral cooperation pact known as the Ankara Declaration, which covers security and economic ties.

The latest violence threatens to destabilize further the fragile security landscape of southern Somalia and strain diplomatic relations between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, two key partners in the fight against Al-Shabaab.