Somalia’s military clashed with forces loyal to the administration of Jubaland, a semi-autonomous region in the country’s south, on Wednesday, December 11, according to Government and military officials.
Somalia operates as a federal state comprising five semi-autonomous regions—Puntland, Jubaland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and Southwest—alongside the central Government in Mogadishu. Tensions between Jubaland and the Federal Government have been exacerbated following the controversial re-election of Ahmed Madobe as Jubaland’s President for a third term.
The Federal Government declared the re-election process illegal, arguing that Madobe was ineligible for another term under the Somali Constitution, which limits regional Presidents to two terms. A Mogadishu court subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Madobe.
The clashes erupted Wednesday morning near Ras Kamboni, a southern peninsula approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) from Kismayo. Both sides reported conflicting accounts of the incident and claimed victory. The Defense Ministry accused Madobe of misusing Jubaland forces to attack a Somali National Army base in the Lower Juba region. Additionally, it alleged that Madobe, a former warlord, had brokered an agreement with the al-Shabaab militant group to allow his forces passage through their controlled territories.
Jubaland’s administration denied the accusations, asserting that Somali forces initiated the violence by attacking a Jubaland military base. Adan Ahmed, Jubaland’s local security minister, reported that the confrontation began with drone strikes before escalating.
Reliable information from the region remains scarce due to poor communication. Neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, which have significant troop presences in Jubaland, view the region as a vital buffer zone against al-Shabaab militants, who have carried out numerous deadly attacks within their borders.