Somalia: Federal Forces Deploy to Clan Leader’s Residence in Beledweyne as Tensions Mount
BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — Federal government troops gathered Saturday outside the residence of Hiiraan traditional leader Ugaas Yusuf Ugaas Hassan, following his appeal for the community to organise its own defence as tensions rise across the central Somali region.
The deployment came a day after Ugaas Yusuf held a press conference urging members of the Hawadle clan to mobilise against what he called attacks by allied clans operating under the federal government’s authority.
He alleged that individuals dressed in government military uniforms had targeted members of his community and appealed to clan members to respond collectively to the alleged assaults.
The presence of federal forces at the traditional leader’s residence underscores the deepening political and security tensions in Hiiraan. Local authorities and community leaders have voiced strong opposition to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s handling of the latest Hirshabelle regional elections.
The dispute sharpened after the re-election of Hirshabelle President Ali Gudlawe Hussein, a process criticised by parts of the region’s political leadership and traditional elders.
Political disagreements over the regional vote are now overlapping with security concerns and clan-based grievances, fuelling fears of a confrontation between federal authorities and local communities.
The federal government had not immediately issued an official response to the troop presence or to the allegations made by the traditional leader.
AXADLETM
