By Hassan Adan
At least 101 people were arrested after Puntland security forces seized the Puntland Security Force (PSF) headquarters on the eastern outskirts of Galkayo on Wednesday following hours of heavy fighting that underscored the deepening political and security rift between Puntland and Somalia’s federal government.
Puntland police said those arrested included Giijaale Abdi Baidoa, whom they identified as the PSF commander in Galkayo, along with other officers accused of assisting the Federal Government in recruiting and registering fighters from the Mudug region.
Authorities said another 60 wounded individuals were taken into custody.
Family members would be allowed to assume custody of the injured after completing security procedures, except for senior officers or suspects accused of serious crimes.
Videos circulating on social media, showed Puntland troops inside the PSF compound after the force withdrew from the base.
Local residents said retreating fighters left behind military vehicles, weapons and other equipment as Puntland forces consolidated control.
Puntland authorities said security forces also seized firearms, ammunition, military vehicles, police uniforms, boots, handcuffs and communications equipment.
The regional administration further alleged that some of the recovered equipment had been donated by China to the Somali Police Force before being transferred to the PSF.
The federal government has not commented on that allegation.
The fighting began before dawn near the PSF headquarters close to Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed Airport, where witnesses reported intense exchanges of mortar fire and heavy machine-gun fire as Puntland forces advanced on the compound.
Officials have not released an official death toll.
However, local residents and independent sources said civilians were among those killed and wounded after mortar shells struck residential neighbourhoods.
The PSF had not issued an official statement by Wednesday evening responding to Puntland’s claims that it had lost control of the Galkayo base or that dozens of its members had been arrested.
Speaking after the operation, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni said his administration would continue operations against armed groups operating outside the regional government’s command.
“Any armed force operating in Puntland that is not under the command of the Puntland administration will be dealt with in accordance with the law. Those forces must surrender their weapons and submit to the state’s authority,” Deni said.
He warned that anyone refusing to comply would face legal action.
“Those who fail to surrender to the security agencies will face the law, and further operations will be carried out whenever necessary to safeguard security and public order,” he added.
The Puntland Security Force (PSF) was established in the early 2000s as Puntland’s elite intelligence-led counterterrorism unit and played a central role in operations against al-Shabaab and Islamic State militants in the Cal Madow and Cal Miskaad mountain ranges.
For years, the force operated under the Puntland administration and was widely regarded as one of the region’s most capable security units.
However, relations between the PSF leadership and President Deni’s administration deteriorated after he took office in 2019 over disagreements concerning command and control of the force.
The dispute escalated into deadly clashes in Bosaso in 2021.
Although both sides later signed an agreement aimed at resolving the crisis, key provisions—including integrating the PSF into Puntland’s formal security command—were never fully implemented.
Puntland has since maintained that the PSF is no longer part of its official security institutions.
The latest clashes followed days of growing tensions after Puntland accused Somalia’s federal government of using the PSF to expand its military presence inside the regional state.
On Tuesday, Puntland alleged that the federal government had transported troops and cargoes of weapons into Galkayo through the PSF, accusing Mogadishu of attempting to establish an armed force outside Puntland’s constitutional security structure.
The regional administration also accused the federal government of using the PSF to recruit fighters from the Mudug region, saying the move threatened Puntland’s security and autonomy.
Mogadishu has not publicly responded to those allegations.
Although the PSF was originally created as Puntland’s elite counterterrorism force, its relationship with the regional administration changed dramatically after the 2021 Bosaso conflict.
Following the fallout with Puntland authorities, the force developed closer ties with Somalia’s federal government.
Puntland officials have repeatedly alleged that PSF personnel receive salaries, logistical support and operational backing from the federal government in Mogadishu, effectively making the force answerable to federal authorities rather than the Puntland administration.
Federal authorities have worked with the PSF on counterterrorism operations but have not publicly confirmed Puntland’s assertions regarding the payment of salaries or the force’s command structure.
The Galkayo clashes are the latest manifestation of deteriorating relations between Puntland and the federal government.
The two sides have disagreed over constitutional amendments, national elections, the division of powers between the federal government and member states, and the control of security institutions.
President Deni has repeatedly accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of interfering in Puntland’s internal affairs and attempting to weaken Somalia’s federal system by creating security structures loyal to Mogadishu.
The federal government, meanwhile, maintains that it has constitutional responsibility for national security and has stressed the need for cooperation among all Somali security forces in the fight against al-Shabaab and Islamic State militants.
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