Beled Haawo (Caasimada Online) – Heavy fighting erupted Tuesday in the strategic Somali border town of Beled Hawo, pitting federal government forces against troops aligned with the semi-autonomous Jubaland state. Each side has accused the other of initiating the violence, which reportedly resulted in casualties and has inflamed an already volatile political landscape.
The clashes underscore a deepening rift over control of the Gedo region, a persistent flashpoint in the fragile relationship between the central government in Mogadishu and the Jubaland administration based in Kismayo.
The immediate trigger appears to be the recent arrival and deployment of Abdirashid Hassan Nur, better known as Abdirashid Janan. A controversial former Jubaland security minister, Janan has a long history of both cooperation and confrontation with Somali political factions.
He previously escaped federal custody in 2020 while facing serious allegations of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and torture, during his time as regional security chief. He was later aligned with the Farmajo administration during its campaign to assert federal control over Gedo.
Janan’s latest appointment by the federal government as commander of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in Gedo has reignited tensions. His deployment to Beled Hawo, reportedly accompanied by new federal troop reinforcements, is viewed by the Jubaland authorities as a direct provocation and an attempt to sideline the regional administration.
Trading blame
In a strongly worded statement, the Jubaland administration placed full responsibility for the fighting on Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his government.
“Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his team today launched an unjust war against the peace-loving people of Beled Hawo District,” the statement said.
Jubaland claimed that its Daraawiish forces successfully repelled the offensive and were now in complete control of the town.“The Jubaland forces… defended against the militias taking orders from Hassan Sheikh Mohamud,” the statement continued.
“The entire town of Beled Hawo is now under the control of Jubaland forces. Some of the militias who destabilized the security of the city have been captured, and our forces are pursuing the rest, including Abdirashid Janan, who arrived this morning on a military aircraft.”
The Federal Government of Somalia, in turn, condemned the violence as a “criminal act” orchestrated by Jubaland’s leader, Ahmed Madobe. The Ministry of Internal Security accused “militias taking orders from Ahmed Madobe” of launching a deliberate attack on government facilities, including the immigration office and army barracks.
“The Federal Government of Somalia is saddened by and strongly condemns the criminal act that the defendant Ahmed Mohamed Islam [Madobe] committed in Beled Hawo,” the statement declared.
The statement further alleged that key installations—including the immigration office and army encampments—were specifically targeted: “This act, which is part of a pattern of repeated violations, included an intentional attack on facilities such as the Immigration and Nationality Office and military bases.”
The government offered condolences to the families of soldiers and civilians killed in the clashes and vowed to bring those responsible to justice. It also warned Jubaland forces against allowing themselves to be “misused” for political ends.
A persistent flashpoint
Beled Hawo lies within Jubaland’s constitutionally defined territory, but the Gedo region has long been a contested zone. Under former President Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo”, the federal government established a parallel administration in Gedo, thereby bypassing Jubaland’s authority and creating competing local structures. That move sparked repeated armed confrontations and entrenched political mistrust.
Janan’s re-emergence, now under the current administration, has deepened concerns that the federal government is doubling down on its bid to reassert control over Gedo. Reports suggest that additional federal forces have been mobilized to other key towns in the region, including Doolow, further escalating the risk of widespread conflict.
The struggle for Gedo frequently intensifies around national elections. Control of the region directly affects who selects its representatives in the federal parliament, making it a strategic prize in Somalia’s intricate power-sharing system. With 2026 national elections on the horizon, both federal and Jubaland leaders appear to be positioning themselves to secure influence over the process.
Observers say the return of Janan to a prominent role in Gedo is emblematic of broader political calculations by Villa Somalia, which has been reshuffling regional security leadership to consolidate control ahead of the vote.
The latest clashes also highlight the historically tense relationship between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe. While the two leaders have at times engaged in cooperation, their rivalry remains a defining feature of the Somali political landscape—fueled by disputes over constitutional authority, control of territory, and resource allocation.
Despite periodic attempts at reconciliation, the events in Beled Hawo suggest that the fundamental disagreements over the governance of Gedo remain unresolved—and continue to pose a serious threat to Somalia’s stability.