Somalia federal leaders approve arms delivery to Lasanod, raising tensions

MOGADISHU, July 6  – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre approved the delivery of weapons and military supplies to Lasanod late Friday, according to sources familiar with the matter, in a move that risks deepening tensions with the semi-autonomous Puntland region.

The shipment comes ahead of a planned conference in Lasanod aimed at formally establishing the "Khatumo State" under federal government backing — a politically sensitive initiative in a region already fraught with competing territorial claims and clan rivalries.

Local authorities in Puntland blocked a separate meeting organized by former Puntland parliament speaker Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril, who arrived in Ceelbuh with armed escorts intending to transport delegates to the Lasanod conference. The move was seen as a challenge to federal influence in the region.

Puntland officials have accused the federal government in Mogadishu of fueling instability and delivering arms without consulting local authorities — a potential breach of Somalia's provisional constitution, which guarantees federal principles and power-sharing among member states.

“The federal government’s unilateral action undermines our regional authority and threatens the fragile balance in northern Somalia,” a senior official told Garowe Online, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The development adds to growing political friction between Mogadishu and Puntland, which has increasingly distanced itself from the federal government in recent months over disagreements related to constitutional reforms, electoral processes, and resource control.

Analysts warn that the arms delivery and the Khatumo process could escalate into a wider conflict if not handled through inclusive dialogue and consensus-building, particularly in a region still recovering from previous clashes between local forces and Somaliland troops.

The federal government has not issued an official statement regarding the shipment or its support for the Khatumo initiative.

GAROWE ONLINE