Somalia: Puntland seizes federal-aligned base in Galkayo

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Puntland security forces on Wednesday seized a military base in the northern part of Galkayo that had been held by forces aligned with Somalia’s federal government, marking the latest and most significant escalation in the long-running political and military standoff between the Puntland administration and Mogadishu.

The capture represents the second major battlefield setback suffered by federal-aligned forces at the hands of a federal member state since the 2024 Raskamboni confrontation, when Jubaland forces routed more than 1,500 members of the Somali National Army (SNA) during a federal operation aimed at forcing the regional administration into compliance.

According to local media reports, Puntland forces launched a large-scale assault at dawn on the base located on the northern outskirts of Galkayo near the city’s main airport. Heavy weapons and mortars were exchanged during the fighting, with shells reportedly landing in areas well beyond the immediate battlefield.

Residents captured dramatic images showing thick plumes of black smoke rising above the military installation shortly after sunrise – an extraordinary sight in Galkayo, a city that has enjoyed relative calm in recent years.

The whereabouts of members of the Puntland Security Force (PSF) faction aligned with Somalia’s federal government who were driven from the base remain unclear. Some reports suggested they retreated into the southern part of Galkayo, which is administered by Galmudug.

The Somali Digest reported that the fall of the base effectively ends the presence of the last federal-aligned force in Puntland, eliminating what had been viewed as Mogadishu’s remaining source of military pressure against President Said Abdullahi Deni’s administration.

However, most media reports indicate that federal-aligned PSF elements still maintain another base in Bosaso. Last month, a convoy departing that base was reportedly ambushed by Puntland regional forces, resulting in the capture of at least 13 military vehicles.

Wednesday’s battle came just one day after media reports claimed that clan militias intercepted and seized a cache of weapons allegedly smuggled by the federal government through Galkayo in an attempt to resupply the besieged base. The installation had reportedly been surrounded by Puntland forces for weeks, with repeated efforts to reinforce it failing to materialize beyond promises from Mogadishu.

Local media also reported that the base’s collapse had been widely anticipated. According to those accounts, many personnel stationed there had already surrendered in recent days, while those who remained were left increasingly isolated, suffering from dwindling supplies and declining morale after weeks under siege.

Hours after the operation, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni praised the regional security forces for what he described as their professionalism, planning and successful execution of the attack.

Deni said the operation should serve as a warning to anyone seeking to undermine Puntland’s administration.

He also urged other armed personnel across Puntland whom he claimed had been misled into believing they were members of Somalia’s federal armed forces solely through biometric registration to surrender, warning that they could otherwise face a similar outcome.

The offensive follows weeks of rapidly escalating tensions between Puntland and Somalia’s federal government.

Last month, Puntland accused Mogadishu of conducting military manoeuvres designed to undermine the regional administration in Galkayo. During the same period, Somali Guardian published multiple reports warning that Galkayo was increasingly on edge amid fears of an imminent confrontation between the two sides.

Earlier, Deni’s administration imposed sweeping restrictions on federal activities inside Puntland, including banning federal officials from entering the region, prohibiting federal military recruitment within Puntland and restricting the movement of federal-aligned forces between major cities, particularly Garowe, Galkayo and Bosaso.

Those measures were widely interpreted as preparations for a possible military confrontation.

It remains unclear whether Wednesday’s victory will give Deni a decisive strategic advantage over President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud or whether the federal government will attempt to respond militarily.

Some observers speculate that Mogadishu could deploy regular federal troops through the Galmudug-controlled southern section of Galkayo in an effort to launch a large-scale counteroffensive, similar to the operation conducted in Baidoa in March, during which federal forces removed Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed “Laftagareen” after he defied orders from the federal leadership.

Whether a similar approach could be attempted in Puntland—or achieve the same outcome—remains uncertain.

For many analysts, the reported capture of the Galkayo base represents the third major military setback suffered by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s federal government at the hands of a federal member state, following previous confrontations including the Raskamboni debacle, where Jubaland forces reportedly captured hundreds of federal troops.

Others, however, warn that the latest confrontation could have far-reaching consequences beyond the immediate battlefield. They argue the fighting risks deepening clan divisions within Puntland, fragmenting the region politically and diverting increasingly scarce security resources away from the ongoing campaign against militant groups, potentially undermining broader counterterrorism efforts across Somalia.

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