KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubaland’s regional administration on Saturday condemned the federal government for airlifting National Intelligence and Security Agency troops to Garbaharey, a move it labeled provocative amid ongoing counterterrorism operations and delicate political talks with Mogadishu.
Multiple reports said the federal forces were flown into the southern town on Friday. Footage circulating on local channels showed armed personnel disembarking at the Garbaharey airstrip. Mogadishu has not issued an official explanation for the deployment, which immediately heightened tensions with Jubaland leader Ahmed Islam “Madobe.”
- Advertisement -
Jubaland officials said the deployment risks undermining state security operations concentrated along the Jilib–Jamaame corridor, a key Al-Shabaab stronghold where regional forces are attempting to clear remaining militant-held villages. The administration characterized the federal move as destabilizing and ill-timed, arriving as shuttle diplomacy seeks to restart talks between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government and regional leaders.
The dispute is entwined with a broader political struggle. Jubaland accused the federal government of pushing to relocate the state’s administrative headquarters away from Kismayo, its interim capital, toward Garbaharey — a shift the regional authority argues would undercut its political mandate and disrupt governance. No formal decree on such a relocation has been announced by Mogadishu.
The security backdrop remains volatile. Intelligence shared with regional officials indicates Al-Shabaab has been repositioning closer to areas bordering the capital, heightening concerns about potential threats to Mogadishu. Jubaland warned that friction over federal deployments could splinter command structures and distract from the fight against the insurgency.
Political differences over constitutional changes and Somalia’s electoral model have further deepened the impasse. Jubaland contends the proposed amendments could pave the way for unconstitutional term extensions at both federal and regional levels. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has argued for moving Somalia toward direct polls, while Jubaland officials say that model is not yet viable given the country’s limited resources and security constraints.
Ahmed Madobe’s administration said it will continue to “defend its political mandate” and prosecute its offensive against Al-Shabaab, while urging international partners to note rising tensions and press for restraint. The federal government has not responded to those charges or the reported deployment to Garbaharey.
The episode underscores the fragility of federal–member state relations in Somalia, where overlapping security authorities and contested political reforms can quickly derail joint operations. Any prolonged standoff between Kismayo and Mogadishu risks handing Al-Shabaab an opening at a time when Somali and allied forces are seeking to consolidate gains in the south.
As of late Saturday, the situation in Garbaharey remained fluid. Calls for de-escalation and renewed dialogue are likely to intensify, with regional leaders warning that the focus must return to coordinated security operations along the Jilib–Jamaame corridor and the broader goal of stabilizing southern Somalia.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
