Somalia: Police Arrest Puntland Presidential Advisor in Mogadishu Hotel Raid

Ahmed Abdi Mahamud Hurre, was detained at the Airport Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia on Tuesday night, March 3, 2026

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali police confirmed the late-night arrest of a senior advisor to the President of Puntland at a hotel in the capital, sparking allegations of physical assault against federal lawmakers and intensifying an already volatile political climate in the country.

The advisor, identified by authorities as Ahmed Abdi Mahamud Hurre, was detained at the Airport Hotel in Mogadishu. According to witnesses and local reports, the arrest occurred while Hurre was meeting with several members of the Somali Federal Parliament.

In a statement released shortly after the operation, the Somali Police Force defended the move as a matter of national security.

"The Somali Police Force is fulfilling its national duties, and tonight the suspect, Ahmed Abdi Mahamud Hurre, who was involved in activities threatening security, was apprehended," the police statement read. "An investigation is currently underway."

However, lawmakers present during the raid described a chaotic scene involving intimidation and physical violence. MP Sareedo Mohamed Hassan Jeyte recounted the encounter on social media, alleging that security forces stormed the hotel and held representatives at gunpoint.

"We were attacked by Somali police forces who entered the Airport Hotel where I stay," Jeyte stated. She alleged that police questioned MP Saddam regarding her room location and eventually took Hurre by force. "They pointed guns at us and threatened us. I survived an attempted killing and a kidnapping based on forced voting [intimidation]."

The arrest comes at a period of heightened political friction in Mogadishu. Tensions have surged between the federal government and opposition figures over a contentious constitutional review process. Critics argue that such maneuvers are intended to stifle dissent and pressure lawmakers during pivotal legislative debates.

The detention of a high-ranking official from Puntland—a semi-autonomous region that has had a fractured relationship with the central government in recent years—threatens to further strain ties between Mogadishu and regional administrations.

Government officials have not yet commented on the specific allegations of assault against the members of parliament.

GAROWE ONLINE