MOGADISHU, (HAN) — The commander of Somalia’s infantry forces, Gen. Khalid, was prevented from disembarking at the Doolow airstrip on Wednesday by Jubaland regional forces loyal to local security chief Gudoomiye Lafeey, in a move that underscores renewed tensions between the Somali federal government and the Jubaland administration.
According to security and government sources, Gen. Khalid and a contingent of federal soldiers had flown to Doolow, a strategic border town in the Gedo region fully controlled by Jubaland authorities. The visit came shortly after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s trip to Addis Ababa, fueling speculation that the deployment was connected to ongoing coordination — or growing friction — involving Ethiopian forces stationed in the area.
Witnesses reported that Jubaland troops, led by Lafeey, denied permission for the federal soldiers to leave their aircraft. The general was subsequently redirected to the Ethiopian side of Doolow, where he reportedly held a closed-door meeting with Ethiopian military officers based near the border.
Doolow, located on the Somali–Ethiopian frontier, is of major strategic importance, serving both as a key transit hub and a defensive position for Ethiopian troops operating under The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The Somali federal government and Jubaland authorities have long been divided over the control of the Gedo region. The latest standoff highlights the persistent mistrust and fragmented security structure in southern Somalia, even as the federal leadership continues efforts to build a unified national army ahead of AUSSOM’s final withdrawal.
