Wednesday July 23, 2025 {HMC} Somalia’s Ministry of Internal Security has accused Jubbaland regional leader Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Ahmed Madobe, of orchestrating a deadly attack against federal forces in the contested town of Beled Hawo, in the Gedo region, on Tuesday.
In a statement, the ministry condemned what it called a “criminal act” committed by forces loyal to Ahmed Madobe, claiming they launched a coordinated assault on federal army camps and public service centers.
“The Ministry of Internal Security of the Federal Government of Somalia regrets and strongly condemns the criminal act committed by the accused Ahmed Mohamed Islam in Beled Hawo, where militias under his command brutally attacked the offices of national security agencies and the Somali National Army,” the statement said.
Targets reportedly included the Immigration and Nationality Agency office and military camps housing government troops. The ministry vowed that all individuals involved in the attack would be held accountable and brought to justice.
The violence erupted after the federal government deployed Abdirashid Janan—a controversial former Jubbaland security minister—as the new regional intelligence chief for Gedo. Janan arrived Tuesday morning aboard a military helicopter from Mogadishu, escorted by senior Somali army officers and reinforcements.
His appointment immediately triggered a backlash from Jubbaland-aligned forces, who oppose federal control over the Gedo region, a strategically important area bordering Kenya and Ethiopia.
Heavy fighting broke out shortly after Janan’s arrival, with Jubbaland forces claiming they had recaptured the district headquarters and surrounding areas. According to a statement from Jubbaland’s state-run media, several pro-federal fighters were captured during the clashes, and Janan had fled the town and was being pursued.
At least five soldiers were reportedly killed, and dozens of others—including civilians—were wounded in the fighting, though exact casualty figures remain unconfirmed due to restricted access in the area.
The confrontation highlights the deep and ongoing tensions between Somalia’s federal government and the Jubbaland administration, particularly over political and security control of Gedo, a region at the heart of their longstanding power struggle.
