By Horn Africa News Staff
Balad-Hawo – Fears of renewed armed conflict are mounting in Somalia’s Gedo region as federal government forces and troops aligned with the Jubbaland regional administration appear poised for a potential military confrontation.
Local residents in the strategic town of Balad-Hawo, near the Kenyan border, say the atmosphere is increasingly tense amid reports that Mogadishu is preparing to deploy new federal troops to the area. The town has long served as a flashpoint in the ongoing power struggle between Somalia’s central government and the semi-autonomous Jubbaland state based in Kismayo.
For months, federal officials from Gedo have pushed for the implementation of a one-person, one-vote electoral model, arguing that Jubbaland lacks legitimate authority in the region. The proposal has further widened the rift between the two administrations, with Jubbaland leaders accusing the central government of seeking to undermine regional autonomy.
The situation escalated earlier this week following the arrival of Jubbaland Vice President Mohamud Sayid Aden in Balad-Hawo. His visit, interpreted by some as a show of force, was seen as a direct challenge to federal influence in the contested town.
Former Somali National Army officer, Colonel Aadan Rufle, warned that the deployment of additional federal troops could trigger a dangerous escalation. “Sending more soldiers into the region risks plunging the area into fresh conflict,” he said, urging both sides to pursue dialogue instead of confrontation.
Gedo, which borders both Kenya and Ethiopia, has long been a center of political and military rivalry, often complicating Somalia’s fragile state-building and federalization efforts. The latest tensions threaten to further destabilize the region at a time when Somalia is grappling with insecurity, humanitarian crises, and upcoming national elections.
As the standoff intensifies, community elders and civil society leaders are calling for immediate de-escalation and renewed efforts at political reconciliation to avoid another round of intra-Somali violence.
