Jubaland Forces Arrive on Outskirts of Beled-Hawo Amid Rising Tensions in Gedo Region

BELED-HAWO, Somalia — Hundreds of Jubaland state forces, accompanied by heavily armed military vehicles, arrived Thursday on the outskirts of Beled-Hawo, a strategic town in Somalia’s Gedo region currently controlled by troops aligned with the federal government.

The deployment marks a significant escalation in the simmering tensions between the Somali federal government and Jubaland administration, which have long contested authority over key areas in the southern part of the country.

The troop movement comes just days after Ethiopia reportedly issued a 72-hour ultimatum to federal forces led by Gedo intelligence chief Abdirashid Janan to withdraw from Beled-Hawo and hand over control to Jubaland troops. The reported demand has not been officially confirmed by either Ethiopia's or Somalia's federal government, but local sources say Ethiopian officials are attempting to mediate the growing standoff.

Residents in Beled-Hawo say the arrival of Jubaland troops has heightened fears of renewed clashes in a town that has seen repeated episodes of armed conflict in recent years. “The situation is tense, and many civilians are worried about what could happen next,” said Hassan Abdullahi, a local trader who fled the area Thursday morning with his family.

Beled-Hawo, located near the border with Kenya, has long been a flashpoint in the power struggle between Jubaland and the federal government, with both sides deploying rival forces to assert control over the region. The dispute intensified after Janan, once a powerful figure in Jubaland’s security apparatus, arrived in the city, bringing with him loyal forces.

Neither the Somali federal government nor Jubaland has released an official statement on the latest troop movements. Efforts to reach officials from both sides for comment were unsuccessful.

The Gedo region has become a focal point of political and military friction, complicating efforts to stabilize Somalia ahead of long-delayed national elections and amid ongoing threats from the al-Shabab insurgency.

The international community, including the African Union and the United Nations, has previously called for dialogue and restraint from all parties involved in the Gedo dispute, warning that internal divisions could undermine the broader security gains made against Al-Shabaab in recent years.

GAROWE ONLINE