MOGADISHU, Somalia — August 11, 2026 — Senior Jubaland security officials and Abdirashid Janan, have held direct talks in Mandera, Kenya, over the future of Beled Hawo and forces under Janan’s influence, according to sources familiar with the discussions, marking a new stage in negotiations over control and security arrangements in Somalia’s Gedo region.

The meeting took place on Monday at a military facility in Mandera, a Kenyan border town neighboring Somalia’s Gedo region, according to sources briefed on the talks.

Those attending included Jubaland intelligence chief Bassam, Janan and members of Kenya’s intelligence services, the sources said.

The discussions centered on security and political arrangements in Beled Hawo, including the possibility of bringing forces associated with Janan under Jubaland’s authority and transferring control of the strategic border town to the Jubaland administration, according to the sources.

The meeting marked the first face-to-face talks between Janan and senior Jubaland representatives during the latest negotiations, which sources said had been conducted through indirect contacts for several weeks.

No final agreement has been publicly announced.

Jubaland, the Federal Government of Somalia, Kenyan authorities and Janan had not publicly confirmed details of the Mandera meeting or any agreement concerning Beled Hawo at the time of publication.

Nairobi Meeting Expected

The negotiations are expected to move to a second stage in Nairobi, where Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Ahmed Madobe, and Janan are expected to meet directly, according to sources familiar with the process.

The planned meeting would represent a significant step in efforts to reach an agreement over Janan’s political position, the status of forces associated with him and the future security arrangements in Beled Hawo.

Sources did not provide a confirmed date for the Nairobi meeting.

The reported negotiations come as Jubaland and the Federal Government continue competing for political and security influence in Gedo, a strategically important region bordering Kenya and Ethiopia.

Payments Reported for Janan-Aligned Forces

Sources familiar with the Mandera discussions said Jubaland had provided funds intended for troops associated with Janan who had reportedly gone without regular salaries for an extended period.

The soldiers had previously been registered under federal security arrangements, according to the sources, but had not received regular salaries or other entitlements in recent months.

On Tuesday morning, the troops assembled at their base, where Janan addressed them, the sources said.

Payments were subsequently distributed to members of the force, according to the same sources, who said the soldiers were informed that they would align themselves with Jubaland.

Neither the amount of money involved nor the number of troops receiving payments could be independently established.

Jubaland has not publicly confirmed financing the troops, and federal authorities have not issued a statement responding to the claims.

Mogadishu Sought to Retain Janan, Sources Say

The Federal Government had also been attempting to maintain Janan’s alignment with Mogadishu as negotiations with Jubaland intensified, according to sources familiar with the contacts.

The sources said NISA Director Mahad Salad had communicated with Janan during recent efforts to prevent a political and security realignment toward Jubaland.

Financial support was also reportedly sent as part of those efforts, according to the sources.

Those claims could not be independently verified, and neither NISA nor the Federal Government had publicly commented on the reported contacts at the time of publication.

The competing efforts to secure Janan’s support underscore the importance of the forces associated with him and the wider contest over authority in Beled Hawo and Gedo.

Gedo has been at the center of a prolonged political and security dispute between Jubaland and Somalia’s Federal Government.

Beled Hawo is particularly significant because of its position directly along the Kenyan border, opposite Mandera. Control of the town carries political, security and economic importance because of cross-border movement and trade.

Janan has been an influential and controversial figure in Gedo politics and security for years. His relationships with Jubaland and the Federal Government have shifted during previous political confrontations involving control of the region.

Tensions between Mogadishu and Jubaland have periodically resulted in competing security deployments and rival claims of authority in Gedo, making control of local forces an important part of the broader political contest.

The latest talks therefore extend beyond Janan himself. Any agreement affecting the loyalty of his forces could alter the balance of influence between Jubaland and the Federal Government in Beled Hawo and surrounding areas.

A successful agreement between Jubaland and Janan could strengthen Jubaland’s position in Gedo, particularly if forces currently associated with Janan formally move under the regional administration’s authority.

For the Federal Government, such a realignment could weaken its influence in Beled Hawo if it loses the support of forces that had previously been registered or aligned under federal security structures. The impact, however, will depend on the number of troops involved and whether any agreement reached during the negotiations is implemented.

Kenyan officials’ reported participation also highlights the cross-border security dimension of developments in Gedo. Instability around Beled Hawo directly affects neighboring Mandera, making security developments on the Somali side of the border relevant to Kenyan authorities.

For civilians, any negotiated settlement that prevents competing forces from confronting one another could reduce the risk of renewed armed tensions. A breakdown in negotiations, however, could leave Beled Hawo caught between rival political and security structures.

Attention is now expected to turn to the planned Nairobi meeting between Ahmed Madobe and Janan.

That meeting could determine whether the preliminary discussions in Mandera develop into a formal political and security agreement, including arrangements for Janan-aligned forces and the administration of Beled Hawo.