Saturday July 4, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Thursday said the federal government will continue paying salaries, ranks and benefits to soldiers recruited in Puntland State, insisting that the payments are a constitutional and administrative duty, not a political favor.
Addressing a public gathering in Mogadishu, Hamza took aim at politicians he said were blocking movement and denying some soldiers access to their entitlements.
“It is the government’s duty to pay that soldier his salary, rank and rights,” Hamza said. “This cannot be a crime for anyone who refuses.”
He added that the federal government would keep registering Puntland State-based soldiers and ensure they receive what is due to them.
According to the prime minister, the number of federally registered troops from Puntland State could grow, possibly reaching 30,000, and he said no one could stop the government from carrying out its responsibilities.
Hamza also accused Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni of interfering with development work, including the road project connecting Xarfo and Galkayo.
He further said hundreds of young people who had prepared for teaching jobs were also left without employment because of political obstruction.
The comments came in apparent response to criticism from Deni, who recently accused Hamza of being used in efforts aimed at weakening Puntland State’s stability.
Federal government-aligned troops are already stationed in Puntland State, a deployment that has deepened political and security tensions between Mogadishu and Garowe.
Puntland State officials have maintained that federal recruitment and military operations should not be carried out in areas under their control without coordination with the regional administration.
The standoff has prompted concern among elders and political leaders, who have urged both sides to avoid steps that could escalate into armed conflict.
