Somalia: Puntland says it has taken over military base in Carmo

BOSASO, Somalia - Puntland authorities said Saturday they had officially taken control of a military base in the town of Carmo that was previously occupied by what they described as “armed militias.”

In a statement, Puntland police said the forces based at the camp had carried out activities that threatened security and social stability in the region.

The Puntland state government said the takeover was part of efforts to strengthen security, maintain public order and reinforce the authority of government institutions across the region.

The move follows recent clashes in the central Somali town of Galkayo between Puntland security forces and fighters linked to the former Puntland Security Force, or PSF.

Puntland forces took control of the former PSF compound in Galkayo after the fighting, which erupted amid tensions over the status and control of the security facility. Puntland authorities subsequently said the compound had been brought under government control.

The authorities later announced that they had also taken control of the former PSF headquarters in the port city of Bosaso.

The latest operations in Carmo, Galkayo and Bosaso reflect Puntland's broader effort to bring armed security formations and their facilities under the direct control of state institutions.

Puntland authorities have described the moves as necessary to restore security and prevent armed groups from operating outside the authority of the Federal state.

GAROWE ONLINE