Renewed Fighting Erupts in Beled Hawo Amid Longstanding Power Struggles in Gedo

GOOBJOOG NEWS|GEDO: Heavy fighting has once again broken out in Beled Hawo, a border town in Somalia’s Gedo region near the Kenyan frontier. Local sources confirm that the clashes began early Tuesday morning and involve forces loyal to the Jubbaland administration and units from the federal government’s security apparatus.

According to preliminary reports, both sides are using heavy weaponry in the confrontation, which erupted near a strategically significant area close to the border. Residents in and around Balad Hawo report hearing sustained gunfire and explosions, sparking panic among civilians.

Sources aligned with the Jubbaland administration allege that federal troops launched a surprise attack on their positions outside the town. The federal government has not yet issued an official statement on the incident.

Former Jubaland security minister Abdirashid Janan who was recently appointed as the National Intelligence and Security Agency Gedo regional commander is leading the federal government side. Janan is a figure with a controversial history in the region and previously linked to clashes in the area.

The number of casualties remains unconfirmed, but local sources believe there have been fatalities and injuries on both sides.

A Flashpoint of Federal-Regional Tensions

Balad Hawo and the wider Gedo region have long been flashpoints in the struggle for control between the federal government and the Jubbaland administration, based in Kismayo. Tensions have persisted for years, fueled by disputes over territorial control, appointments of regional security officials, and political rivalry.

In 2020 and 2021, similar clashes occurred in and around Beled Hawo, leading to civilian deaths and displacement and drawing concern from neighboring Kenya. Those confrontations also involved troops loyal to Abdirashiid Janan, who was at the time serving as the Jubaland Minister for Security.

The ongoing rivalry has complicated humanitarian access and security coordination in the region. With no clear end in sight and no immediate mediation efforts announced, today’s renewed violence threatens to further destabilize an already fragile region.