Monday 9,Dec,202 {HMC} The Somali Federal Government has announced that a group of soldiers previously loyal to Jubbaland has defected to the Somali National Army (SNA). The troops were unveiled during a public ceremony in Beled Hawo, a contested district in the Gedo region.
Senior officials, including the commander of the 10th Brigade of the 43rd Division, praised the defectors and assured them of full integration into the national forces. “Your rights as soldiers of the Somali National Army will be protected under the Federal Government,” the commander told the troops.
Jubbaland’s leadership swiftly denied the claims, dismissing the event as political theatre. General Yusuf Hussein Osman (Dhuumaal), Jubbaland’s Minister of Security, alleged that the showcased forces were not defectors but a mix of clan militias and deserters from an Eritrean-based training program sponsored by Mogadishu. “This is yet another attempt by the Federal Government to weaken Jubbaland’s administration and sow discord in the region,” Dhuumaal said.
The Gedo region, particularly Beled Hawo, has become a flashpoint in the struggle between the Federal Government and Jubbaland, with Mogadishu accused of attempting to assert direct control over the area. The power play has stoked broader concerns about the fragility of Somalia’s federal system, which is already under strain due to competing interests and mistrust between the central government and its federal member states.
Analysts warn that the Federal Government’s actions in Gedo could escalate tensions with Jubbaland and across other federal states wary of perceived overreach by Mogadishu. Critics argue that these moves risk derailing national reconciliation efforts and could destabilize a region grappling with insurgency and humanitarian crises.
For residents of Beled Hawo, the political tug-of-war has brought both confusion and anxiety. “We don’t know who is really in charge here,” said a local elder, speaking anonymously.
Source Hiiraan Online
