Mogadishu, Aug 5, 2026 (AFP)
Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland state on Wednesday attacked a northern government-held camp, the local president and police said, the latest flare-up between regional leaders and the federal government.
The country is deeply fractured along regional lines, with Puntland president Said Abdullahi Deni a vocal opponent of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's push to centralise governance.
Heavily armed Puntland forces, backed by military vehicles, launched an operation on Wednesday morning against a military camp near the airport in northern Galkacyo city.
The camp was occupied by troops formerly aligned with Puntland authorities but whose commanders recently pledged allegiance to Mogadishu.
Deni told a press conference in regional capital Garowe the assault was "a planned security operation" to send a "clear message to anyone working against the Puntland Government".
"The operation targeted a camp where the federal government has recently been transporting weapons, military equipment and troops in an attempt to undermine Puntland's security and stability," he said.
Deni said his administration had repeatedly raised concerns over the Somali president's decisions, but did not elaborate.
"These actions are disrupting Somalia's already fragile peace and, in particular, threatening the long-standing stability of Puntland, which has remained peaceful for many years," he said.
In a short statement, Puntland police said local forces had "successfully concluded a planned security operation", leading to the arrest of more than 100 people.
The statement said the Puntland forces had also "seized weapons, vehicles and military equipment, including firearms, ammunition, police uniforms, handcuffs, police boots and other supplies".
Galkacyo residents told AFP they had heard several mortar rounds, some landing in residential areas, during the fighting which lasted for more than an hour.
Casualties were reported, but exact figures were not available.
Resident Mohamed Jama told AFP by telephone the fighting had ended.
"Puntland forces took control of the camp where the fighting occurred, while the opposing forces aligned with the Federal Government withdrew to southern Galkacyo after being overpowered," another resident, Abdiqani Muse, said.
Neither the federal government nor commanders of the rival force have issued a response to Puntland's claims.
It is not the first such clash in the country.
In March, federal troops attacked and deposed the leader of South West State, and in August 2025, fighting broke out between the federal army and Jubaland forces, killing a number of soldiers.
The thorny relations partly stem from Mohamud's decision to change the constitution in March ahead of planned elections.
Opposition parties and rivals are against the reforms, seeing them instead as a power grab by the president.

Sumber : AFP