Mogadishu, Somalia — In a dramatic show of defiance, residents and militias in Somalia’s Gedo region have shut down key airports, halting flights and blocking the Federal Government’s plans to deploy troops.
The closures mark the latest flashpoint in the fraught relationship between Mogadishu and the semi-autonomous region of Jubaland.
The troop deployment, viewed by local leaders as an attempt to open a new military front against Jubaland, has been met with widespread resistance.
The FGS has struggled to assert its authority over Jubaland, whose president, Ahmed Madobe, has resisted central government influence and enjoys strong backing from locals and regional allies.
“This is a reckless move by the government,” said Mohamed Ali, a local elder in Gedo at a press conference by local council elders, broadcast by Somali news channels on early Sunday.
“Our region has been relatively peaceful, and now they want to drag us into another conflict.”
The Gedo region, located near the border with Kenya, holds immense strategic importance. Its control is critical for Mogadishu’s ambitions to consolidate power and weaken Jubaland’s autonomy.
But the federal government’s push comes on the heels of a setback in Raskamboni, where Jubaland forces recently repelled federal troops in fierce clashes.
Analysts suggest the defeat has strengthened Jubaland’s position, escalating tensions with the federal government, which has responded by deploying troops in Gedo as part of a strategic shift to challenge the federal state.
“This standoff reflects deeper power struggles between the FGS and Jubaland,” said Abdi Ahmed, a political analyst in Mogadishu.
“Gedo is becoming the epicenter of their rivalry.”
Local Resistance and National Risks
Residents and local leaders in Gedo have condemned the deployment plan as “forced” and warned it could ignite violence in a region that has largely avoided the turmoil seen elsewhere in Somalia in recent years.
Meanwhile, security experts caution that the standoff risks destabilizing the region further and creating opportunities for militant groups like al Shabaab, which continues to pose a significant threat across Somalia.
“Every time the government and regional states clash, al Shabaab benefits,” said a Somali security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The rift between Mogadishu and Jubaland dates back years, fueled by disputes over elections, resources, borders, and political autonomy.
Jubaland’s leadership has consistently accused the federal government of undermining regional governance, while Mogadishu views Jubaland as an obstacle to national unity.
In Gedo, the federal government’s efforts to exert control have often clashed with local loyalties to Jubaland and local factions, creating a volatile dynamic that has periodically flared into open conflict.
In the meantime, as the standoff in Gedo continues, questions loom about Somalia’s federal model and the central government’s ability to balance authority with regional autonomy.
Critics argue that Mogadishu’s hardline approach risks alienating regions further, while proponents say it is necessary to build a unified state.
For now, the residents of Gedo remain caught in the middle, uncertain of what the next chapter in Somalia’s fraught federal experiment will bring.
