GAALKACYO, Somalia — August 13, 2026 — Puntland’s government accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday of pursuing what it described as a campaign to provoke conflict against the northeastern federal member state, warning that his planned visit to Galmudug-administered southern Gaalkacyo could threaten stability in the divided city.
The accusations were contained in an official statement issued by Puntland authorities in Gaalkacyo. Puntland said it was closely monitoring what it described as preparations led by President Mohamud and announced that its defense forces had been placed on full alert.
The Puntland statement provided no evidence demonstrating that the president intended to provoke violence. The allegations were made by Puntland authorities and should not be treated as independently established facts.
Puntland said President Mohamud was planning to travel to southern Gaalkacyo, which is administered by Galmudug, and alleged that the visit was intended to create political and security tensions in the city.
“The Puntland government is closely monitoring the planned mobilization being pursued by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud,” the administration said in its statement.
It accused the president of seeking to create “division and conflict” in Gaalkacyo, a strategically important city whose northern section is administered by Puntland and southern section by Galmudug.
Puntland did not specify when the president was expected to arrive or provide details of the activities planned during his reported visit.
The statement also did not identify specific actions by President Mohamud that it said demonstrated preparations for conflict.
Puntland praised the Galmudug administration and residents of southern Gaalkacyo for what it described as their contribution to maintaining peace and preventing previous attempts to create instability.
It called on Galmudug authorities and communities in southern Gaalkacyo to prevent what Puntland described as new efforts by the president to generate security disturbances for political purposes.
Puntland Puts Forces on Full Alert
Puntland said it had placed its defense forces on full alert in response to the situation and warned that additional security measures could be introduced.
“The Puntland government has placed the Puntland Defense Forces on full alert,” the statement said.
Authorities said residents should prepare for further measures intended to strengthen security across Puntland, particularly in Gaalkacyo and surrounding areas.
The statement did not say whether additional troops had been deployed or identify the measures security agencies were preparing to implement.
No fighting or casualties were reported in connection with the political dispute in the statement.
Puntland also appealed to Somalis, neighboring countries and the wider international community to hold President Mohamud responsible for any consequences resulting from what it characterized as efforts to foment conflict against Puntland.
Gaalkacyo’s Sensitive Security Position
Gaalkacyo is among Somalia’s most politically sensitive cities because its administration is divided between two federal member states.
Puntland controls the northern section, while Galmudug administers the south. The city and surrounding Mudug region have experienced deadly confrontations in previous years involving forces and communities from both sides.
Relations have improved following reconciliation efforts and cooperation between Puntland and Galmudug authorities, helping reduce the risk of renewed confrontation inside the city.
Puntland’s latest statement repeatedly emphasized preserving that stability while alleging that President Mohamud’s planned visit could undermine it.
The administration thanked Galmudug authorities and residents, particularly those in southern Gaalkacyo, for their role in protecting peace and urged them to resist actions that could produce renewed confrontation.
Background to Puntland-Federal Government Dispute
The warning comes against the backdrop of a prolonged political dispute between Puntland and the federal government in Mogadishu.
Relations deteriorated sharply following disagreements over changes to Somalia’s constitutional framework, the distribution of federal authority and plans for the country’s electoral system.
In March 2024, Puntland announced that it was withdrawing recognition and confidence in federal institutions following constitutional amendments approved by Somalia’s federal parliament.
Puntland argued that constitutional changes required broader political consensus and said it would exercise its governmental powers independently until a mutually agreed constitutional arrangement was restored.
The federal government has pursued constitutional and electoral reforms as part of efforts to move Somalia toward direct elections, while disagreements with Puntland and other political actors have complicated attempts to secure broad national consensus.
Those disputes have increasingly shaped relations between Garowe and Mogadishu, with each side accusing the other of undermining Somalia’s federal political system.
Thursday’s statement represents a significant escalation in rhetoric because Puntland directly linked its political dispute with President Mohamud to security concerns in Gaalkacyo and announced that its forces had been placed on heightened alert.
Attention is likely to focus on whether President Mohamud proceeds with the reported visit to southern Gaalkacyo and how Galmudug authorities respond to Puntland’s warning.
Any federal presidential visit to Galmudug territory would also be closely watched because of Gaalkacyo’s divided administration and the history of tensions in the wider Mudug region.
Puntland has indicated that additional security measures could follow but has not publicly detailed what those steps would involve.
The response of Galmudug will also be significant. Puntland’s statement appealed directly to the Galmudug administration and residents of southern Gaalkacyo to help prevent any deterioration in security.
The dispute raises the political stakes in Gaalkacyo because tensions between Puntland and Somalia’s federal leadership are now being linked directly to security in a city shared by Puntland and Galmudug. Political confrontation involving security forces could put years of local reconciliation and cooperation under pressure.
Puntland’s decision to place its forces on full alert also signals the depth of distrust between Garowe and Mogadishu. Even without an armed confrontation, heightened military readiness and competing political messaging can increase uncertainty for residents and complicate relations between neighboring administrations.
