Somalia: Puntland Accuses Hassan Sheikh of Plotting Trouble in Galkayo City 

GAROWE, Somalia — Puntland state has accused the term-ended president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of pursuing what it described as an attempt to provoke conflict and undermine security in the Federal State.

In a statement issued late Thursday, Puntland said it was closely monitoring plans for a possible visit by Hassan Sheikh to southern Galkayo, which is administered by neighbouring Galmudug state.

Puntland described the planned visit as an attempt to create “discord and conflict” in Galkayo, a divided city where communities from Puntland and Galmudug live on either side of the city. It thanked the administration and residents of southern Galkayo for their role in maintaining peace and urged them to resist what it called “new attempts” by Hassan Sheikh to create instability.

Puntland said it had placed its security forces on full alert and warned that additional measures would be taken to strengthen security across the region, particularly in Galkayo and surrounding areas.

The statement said Hassan Sheikh would be held responsible for any consequences resulting from what Puntland described as efforts to foment “discord and conflict” in the Mudug region in central Somalia.

The accusations come amid escalating political tensions between Puntland and Somalia’s federal authorities. Puntland has recently launched a campaign targeting federal government forces recruited from within its territory, with many of the troops subsequently handing over their weapons and joining Puntland forces.

Hassan Sheikh, whose presidential four-year mandate ended in May 2026, has not publicly responded to Puntland’s latest accusations. He has previously said that political disputes in Somalia should not be allowed to revive past conflicts or threaten the country’s unity and security.

GAROWE ONLINE