Puntland State orders defected officers to return weapons as federal alignment deepens in Las Anod
Police commander warns of “dangerous” consequences amid rift over assets, loyalty and command
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GAROWE, Somalia — Puntland State authorities have ordered military officers who have defected to the federal government to immediately hand back weapons, vehicles and bases, warning that failure to comply could trigger serious security repercussions.
The directive, delivered by Puntland State Police Commander Gen. Mumin Abdi Shire, accuses the officers of unlawfully holding equipment and installations belonging to the regional administration. He stressed that the materiel constitutes state property and must be returned without delay.
“No one is above the law,” Gen. Mumin said. “Officers who have involved themselves in political matters must return government assets and military bases. If this does not happen, the consequences could be dangerous for security.”
The officers at the center of the dispute are based in Las Anod, the administrative capital of Somalia’s Northeastern Regional State, where former Puntland State units — including elements of the Danab Brigade and the Puntland State Security Force (PSF) — have aligned with federal forces and are providing security for senior leaders.
The realignment reflects fast-moving changes since the establishment of the Northeastern Regional State, which is recognized by Somalia’s federal government and encompasses Sool, Sanaag and Cayn. Las Anod has become an epicenter of competing political claims and shifting loyalties after North Western State of Somalia forces withdrew from the city last year.
Escalating tensions, Danab Brigade commander Gen. Jimcaale Jamaac Takar said in Las Anod this week that his forces no longer recognize Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni as their commander-in-chief. He said the unit would instead place itself, temporarily, under Northeastern Regional State President Abdulqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali, known as Firdhiye.
The public break comes as relations between Garowe and Mogadishu deteriorate over federal authority, elections and power-sharing. On Saturday, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre attended Firdhiye’s inauguration in Las Anod alongside senior federal officials, regional leaders, traditional elders and foreign diplomats — a high-profile show of federal backing seen as a direct challenge to Puntland State’s influence in the area.
Puntland State officials argue that the defection of officers and the transfer of state-owned equipment undermine the region’s command-and-control structures and threaten its security architecture. Federal officials, meanwhile, have framed the integration of former Puntland State units into operations around Las Anod as a legitimate effort to stabilize the region under federal authority.
Security analysts warn that unresolved questions over who controls weapons, bases and chains of command risk fueling further instability, particularly in a city shaped by years of conflict and contested governance. The standoff also raises sensitive issues about the legal custody of armaments and the integrity of Somalia’s broader security-sector reform — challenges that have repeatedly complicated efforts to build cohesive national forces.
In the immediate term, Gen. Mumin’s order sets up a potential flashpoint if officers do not comply or if rival authorities dispute ownership of assets. With heavily armed units positioned inside and around Las Anod, miscalculations could have swift consequences for civilians and regional stability.
What to watch
- Whether defected officers in Las Anod return weapons, vehicles and bases claimed by Puntland State.
- Any mediation or verification mechanism to document and transfer state-owned assets.
- Competing directives from Puntland State, the federal government and Northeastern Regional State over command and control.
- Potential redeployments around key installations in and near Las Anod.
- Signals from Mogadishu and Garowe on de-escalation or further consolidation of forces.
With both political stakes and security risks rising, the next moves by commanders on the ground — and the willingness of political leaders to negotiate clear chains of custody and authority — will determine whether the dispute hardens into a broader confrontation or is channeled into an orderly process.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
