Jubbaland – Jubbaland State House has accused Somalia’s federal government of escalating regional tensions by allegedly deploying Egyptian-supplied weapons in Gedo province. In a strongly worded statement, the regional authority warned that such actions could drag Somalia into the wider Nile River dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia, leading to “long-lasting, unintended consequences.”
The claim comes amid heightened tensions over control of Beled Hawo, a strategic town near the Kenya border. Jubbaland’s Ministry of Internal Security confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from the town, citing a strategic repositioning and warning of a potential counterattack “at any moment.”
The federal government has not officially responded, but anonymous sources have denied involvement in any external conflicts, insisting the deployment is part of a constitutional mandate to secure national borders.
Analysts warn that aligning—perceived or real—with Egypt in its dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam could destabilize Somalia’s position in the Horn of Africa. Beled Hawo has long been contested between federal and regional forces, with past clashes drawing in neighboring Kenya. As tensions rise, all eyes are on whether diplomacy or military escalation will prevail.