Mogadishu, Somalia – The Somali Federal Government has issued a strong rebuke against Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, accusing him of stoking unrest in the contested Sanaag region following deadly clashes in the Dhahar district on Tuesday.
The accusation comes at a time of growing tensions between Mogadishu and the semi-autonomous Puntland state — a standoff that threatens to derail joint efforts against extremist groups like Al-Shabaab and Islamic State while exposing the fragile and often volatile political alliances in northern Somalia.
In a sharply worded statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation urged President Deni to halt actions that it said were “fueling conflict” and demanded the withdrawal of forces recently deployed from Qardho. According to the federal government, these troops were initially assigned to counterterrorism operations but have instead been redirected for “other unproductive purposes.”
The latest violence reportedly broke out in the northern part of Dhahar, near the town’s entry point, where local forces — identified by some as affiliated with the Maakhir faction — have established positions.
Maakhir, a self-declared entity within Sanaag, briefly operated independently between 2007 and 2009 before re-integrating with Puntland. However, its historical claims to autonomy and the continued presence of local armed groups make it a persistent factor in the area’s complex political mosaic — one often caught between Puntland and Somaliland’s competing territorial claims.
Efforts to de-escalate the situation in Dhahar appear to have failed. Gunfire was exchanged, reportedly leading to casualties, though the number of dead and wounded remains unclear. Residents described hearing intense shooting throughout the town, with military movements escalating and tension running high.
The federal government has called on local communities to remain calm and avoid any actions that might further destabilize the region. It also demanded the immediate release of a security officer allegedly detained in Dhahar, calling the arrest unlawful and unsupported by evidence.
This public condemnation from Mogadishu follows a similarly harsh statement issued earlier by Puntland authorities, who in turn accused the federal government of provoking the conflict in Dhahar and inciting instability in what they described as peaceful Puntland territory.
Puntland fires back
In its statement, Puntland claimed that armed militias organized by Mogadishu had triggered the Dhahar clashes, resulting in deaths. The Puntland government framed the incident as a betrayal of its ongoing counterterrorism campaign against ISIS and Al-Shabaab fighters in the Cal Madow and Calmidaad mountain ranges — regions where Puntland forces maintain a significant presence.
“This perverse act, which undermines the just struggle of the Puntland Government against international terrorism, will be held accountable by the Federal Government,” Puntland’s statement said.
The statement also accused Mogadishu of misusing international aid — intended for Somalia’s development and security — to arm militias and smuggle weapons into Puntland territory, further threatening the region’s stability. Puntland called on its citizens to remain united and safeguard regional cohesion.
Adding yet another dimension to the already tangled landscape is the ongoing conference in Las Anod — the capital of the Sool region — where leaders from SSC-Khatumo are working to formalize the establishment of their new regional state. The high-level talks, which began on Sunday, July 13, are being held under tight security and have drawn a federal delegation, including Interior Minister Ali Xoosh, alongside SSC-Khatumo leaders and traditional elders.
The goal of the conference is to lay the groundwork for a constitution and governance structure for SSC-Khatumo, a new federal member state officially recognized by the Somali government in early 2023. That recognition came after months of armed confrontation between unionist SSC forces and Somaliland troops.
SSC-Khatumo’s emergence marks a major political shift. It represents a successful push by unionist movements in the Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn (SSC) regions to affiliate with the federal government — directly challenging Somaliland’s long-standing territorial claims over those areas.
While welcomed by Mogadishu, SSC-Khatumo’s rise has strained relations with Puntland, which also claims parts of Sool and Sanaag based on clan lineage and historical ties.
The growing rift between the federal government and Puntland — now exacerbated by the ascendancy of SSC-Khatumo and the lingering presence of Maakhir-aligned forces — risks destabilizing a region critical to Somalia’s security and unity. Puntland, which declared itself an autonomous state in 1998, maintains its own government and security apparatus and has often operated with considerable independence from Mogadishu.
Tensions between the two sides have long simmered over disputes around power-sharing, federalism, and the distribution of resources — disputes now inflamed by shifting alliances and the contested future of Somalia’s northern regions.