BELED-HAWO, Somalia – Deadly clashes erupted between Somali federal government forces and troops loyal to the semi-autonomous Jubaland State in the volatile Gedo region on Monday, with both sides offering conflicting accounts of the fighting and accusing the other of instigating the violence.

The battle, which took place near the strategic border town of Beled-Hawo, marks a dangerous escalation in the long-simmering political dispute between the central government in Mogadishu and the Jubaland administration. A senior Jubaland police commander was killed in the fighting, and both sides have reported casualties.

Jubaland’s Vice President, Mahmud Sayid Adan, accused the federal government and its National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) of launching an unprovoked “surprise attack.”

“The federal government has invaded our people,“ Adan told the BBC, adding that he had ordered his forces to withdraw to prevent further bloodshed. “We want to show the world the injustice happening in Gedo, and for those who perpetrated it to be held accountable.”

Conversely, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) issued a statement through its Ministry of Defence, claiming its forces had “repelled an aggressive attack“ by militias loyal to Jubaland’s President, Ahmed Madobe.

“Militias taking orders from fugitive Ahmed Madobe… launched an aggressive attack on the positions of the National Army,“ the federal statement read. It confirmed the deaths of two of its soldiers and claimed to have captured ten Jubaland fighters, asserting that its forces were now in complete control of the area.

A politically charged region

The fighting is the latest flashpoint in a protracted power struggle over Gedo, a region that has become a proxy battleground for the political conflict between Mogadishu and Jubaland’s leadership in the port city of Kismayo.

The core of the dispute lies in the central government’s refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Ahmed Madobe’s re-election as Jubaland’s president. Madobe, a former Islamist commander, has been a key, albeit complex, figure in southern Somalia and a crucial partner for neighboring Kenya in its security operations.

Gedo’s strategic location, bordering both Kenya and Ethiopia, makes control of the region a critical objective for both the federal government and Jubaland. For weeks, federal forces have controlled Beled-Hawo, a vital commercial gateway to Kenya, after ousting Jubaland troops from the town.

Monday’s clashes were centered in the village of Amiin, near a military base used by Jubaland forces. Jubaland officials confirmed that Colonel Hussein Giif, their police commander for the Gedo region, was among those killed in what they described as a “specifically planned“ assault by federal troops.

Accusations against Kenya

The federal forces in Gedo are reportedly under the command of Abdirashid Janan, a controversial figure whose shifting allegiances highlight the fluid and complex nature of Somali politics.

Janan was formerly the security minister for Jubaland under Ahmed Madobe before becoming a fugitive, only to later align with the federal government to challenge Madobe’s authority in Gedo. His presence at the head of the federal-aligned forces is a significant source of tension.

Adding an international dimension to the conflict, Janan accused neighboring Kenya of directly supporting the Jubaland forces.

“The enemy’s defensive trenches… were dug by a bulldozer from Kenya,“ Janan claimed in a statement. He also alleged that Kenya was providing medical treatment in the border town of Mandera to wounded Jubaland fighters and demanded that Nairobi respect Somalia’s sovereignty.

Kenya has historically viewed the Jubaland administration as a vital buffer zone against the Al-Shabaab insurgency and has been a primary backer of President Madobe. The Kenyan government has not yet responded to the allegations.

The situation in Beled-Hawo remains tense. While the federal government has called on Jubaland forces to surrender, Jubaland’s vice president has appealed for a peaceful resolution, urging local elders and politicians to mediate and “prevent the conflict from escalating.“

The deep-seated political animosity, however, threatens to fuel further violence in a region already beset by instability.