Garowe, Somalia – Puntland’s regional parliament on Tuesday voted to expel MP Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril from its legislative body following his participation in a federal government-backed conference on the finalization of SSC-Khaatumo’s status, held in Las Anod.
Jibril, a former speaker of the Puntland House of Representatives, was accused of violating Puntland’s constitutional principles by aligning with a political initiative seen as undermining the region’s territorial integrity.
The controversial Las Anod conference, organized under the auspices of the Federal Government of Somalia, focused on legitimizing the local administration of SSC-Khaatumo, an area long contested between Puntland and Somaliland.
In swift and separate statements, both Puntland and Somaliland authorities condemned the federal initiative, describing it as a “threat to their constitutional territories” and warning of the destabilizing consequences of unilateral decisions in disputed regions.
Jibril’s removal marks a rare and public rebuke of political figures engaging in federal actions without the approval of regional leadership. Analysts view the move as a signal of growing tensions between federal and state authorities over the status of Las Anod and other contested areas.
The ousted MP now faces political exile, stripped of both parliamentary immunity and influence within Puntland’s governance structure. His supporters argue the decision was politically motivated, while regional lawmakers defended it as necessary to uphold Puntland’s sovereignty.
This development comes amid escalating tensions in northern Somalia, where overlapping claims and federal involvement risk further complicating the fragile relations between Somalia’s federal and regional governments.