Somalia: Heavy clashes erupt in Dolow between Jubaland forces and Somali federal troops

DOLOW, Somalia, July 28 – Fierce fighting broke out overnight and into Monday morning between forces belonging to the Jubbaland regional administration and troops aligned with Somalia’s federal government in the border town of Dolow, local sources and officials said.

In a statement, Jubbaland accused federal-aligned troops of launching a surprise attack on its military positions in the town, which lies on the border with Ethiopia in Somalia’s Gedo region. The regional administration claimed its forces had repelled the assault and taken control of several key government facilities.

Independent sources in Doolow confirmed that Jubbaland forces had seized a number of strategic locations in the town, though the full extent of casualties and damage remains unclear.

Somalia’s federal government has not yet commented on the incident.

The clashes come amid a visit by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Ethiopia, a trip that has further heightened political and security tensions in the volatile Gedo region. Disputes over control and troop deployment in the area have long been a flashpoint between the federal government and regional authorities, particularly Jubbaland.

The renewed fighting also comes as the militant group Al-Shabaab gains ground in central Somalia, capturing new areas in the Hiiraan region. The concurrent developments have raised fresh concerns about coordination and focus in Somalia’s broader counter-insurgency efforts.

Reporting by Garowe Online stringer in Doolow