By Abdullahi Abdi
For two days, Beled Hawo residents have lived in fear as a tense standoff unfolds between federal troops and forces loyal to Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe, following a controversial federal appointment that has reignited old rivalries in the fragile Gedo region.
The standoff turned violent early Tuesday when heavy fighting erupted in Beled Hawo shortly after the arrival of Abdirashid Hassan Janan, newly appointed as federal NISA chief for Jubaland, sparking clashes between federal forces and Jubaland troops near the UK-trained base outside town.
Local sources say the fighting broke out between Jubaland troops and government-aligned forces almost as soon as two military helicopters touched down at the UK-trained army base on the edge of Beled Hawo.
On board was Janan, accompanied by senior Somali federal security officials and heavily armed personnel. The deployment immediately triggered armed confrontation in the area, reviving memories of past battles for control of the contested border town.
The timing and nature of Janan’s return are fueling fears of a renewed federal–regional standoff. Local residents describe the fighting as a direct response to what they view as an aggressive federal move to undermine Jubaland’s control over Gedo.
“This isn’t a routine deployment. It’s a provocation,” said one local elder. “When Janan lands, violence follows. That’s the reality we’re seeing again.”
Janan’s controversial appointment by NISA Director Mahad Salad has stirred widespread alarm across Somalia. Once the Jubaland security minister, Janan was linked to serious human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and obstruction of humanitarian aid.
In 2019, he was arrested in Mogadishu on federal charges but escaped custody in early 2020 and later reemerged leading armed operations near the Kenya–Somalia border, this time in opposition to the federal government.
The Federal Government’s decision to reassign Janan to Gedo is widely interpreted as a political manoeuvre aimed at destabilising Jubbaland President Ahmed Madobe.
Sources close to Villa Somalia suggest that the goal is to consolidate control over the region and assert dominance ahead of upcoming elections. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre reportedly held private talks with Janan in Mogadishu last week, discussing how to expel regional forces from Gedo.
But for many in Beled Hawo and across Gedo, the federal plan is seen less as a stabilisation effort and more as an escalation strategy. The violence, they argue, proves that point.
“Janan is not just a security official. He is a symbol of unresolved trauma,” said a civil society leader in Luuq. “You cannot deploy someone with blood on their hands and expect peace.”
Observers warn that the federal government’s appointment of Janan could further alienate regional administrations and damage fragile federal–state relations. While Villa Somalia holds influence in Galmudug, South West, and Hirshabelle, it is unable to have total control in the regions of Jubaland and Puntland.
There is growing concern that the recent outbreak of violence is only the beginning. With federal and Jubbaland forces once again staring each other down in Beled Hawo, and Janan at the centre of the storm, the risk of prolonged instability is high.
“This is not just a security miscalculation,” said a Mogadishu-based analyst. “It’s a strategic gamble that could backfire, not just in Gedo but across the federal system.”
As gunfire echoes across Beled Hawo, it is becoming clear that Janan’s return has not brought order but has reignited chaos.
