KISMAYO , Somalia — September 4, 2026 — Jubbaland has accused Türkiye of conducting an overnight airstrike in Doolow that it said wounded former Somali prisons chief Gen. Mahad Abdirahman “Shub” and four civilians, while urging the United Nations to urgently review its decision to lift Somalia’s arms embargo.
In a statement issued by its Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the regional administration called on international partners to scrutinise Turkish involvement in Somalia. It alleged that Ankara’s support for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was undermining national unity, security and the country’s recovery.
Responsibility for the strike, its intended target and who authorised the operation have not been independently established.
Jubbaland Describes Attack on Residential Properties
According to the statement, Turkish military aircraft targeted Shub’s residence in Doolow, in Gedo region, overnight. Jubbaland said two missiles were fired, with one striking the home of the district commissioner.
The administration alleged that Shub had been targeted because of his political differences with federal authorities. It condemned the attack as an act of extreme brutality and demanded accountability from the Somali president and Türkiye.
Jubbaland described the incident as a war crime. That characterisation is an allegation by the regional administration, rather than an independently established legal finding.
The statement reported injuries to Shub and four other people identified as civilians. It did not specify the severity of their wounds or provide further details about their treatment.
Earlier security sources cited by Baidoa Online had reported minor injuries to Shub and three relatives. Jubbaland’s statement gives a different injury count without explaining whether those previously reported wounded were among the four civilians it identified.
Call for Review of Arms Embargo Decision
Jubbaland appealed to the UN, African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, United States and European Union to examine actions involving Türkiye that it said threatened both Somali and regional interests.
The administration separately urged the UN to urgently reconsider the decision lifting Somalia’s arms embargo. It argued that internationally donated weapons should be placed under responsible authorities and entrusted to institutions capable of managing them properly.
Its demand linked the reported Doolow attack to broader concerns about the use of military equipment in domestic political disputes.
However, the statement did not provide documentation establishing the origin of the weapons used in the strike, when they were acquired or the arrangements under which they were operated.
Türkiye’s Mediation Role Challenged
Jubbaland also challenged Türkiye’s credibility as a mediator in Somalia, accusing Ankara of fully supporting one side in the country’s internal disputes.
The administration said Turkish involvement had become an obstacle to dialogue and reconciliation between Somali groups with differing political positions. It argued that Türkiye could no longer be viewed as a credible participant in efforts to resolve those disagreements.
The statement sets out Jubbaland’s rejection of Ankara’s neutrality. It does not announce Türkiye’s formal removal from any mediation process.
No response from Turkish authorities or Somalia’s federal government was included in the information available for this report. Responses from the international organisations and governments addressed by Jubbaland were also not provided.
Background to the Dispute
The reported strike comes amid tensions between Jubbaland and the federal government, alongside a confrontation involving federal authorities and supporters of former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen.
Shub, who twice served as commander of the Somali Custodial Corps, is associated with Laftagareen’s camp.
The Laftagareen-aligned Southwest administration had separately accused Turkish aircraft of targeting him in an assassination attempt and demanded an independent international investigation.
Jubbaland’s statement broadens the dispute beyond responsibility for a single strike. By seeking a review of weapons restrictions and questioning Türkiye’s mediation role, the administration is asking international partners to reconsider both military safeguards and diplomatic engagement.
