BOSASO, Somalia – A heightened tensions reported in Puntland’s Bosaso city with the region’s Police Commander, Muumin Abdi Shire, has issued a strong complaint against the Puntland Security Force (PSF), accusing them of repeatedly targeting the police.
According to the commander, the PSF has been consistently attacking the police, with the most recent incident occurring at the central prison in Bosaso. Two police officers were wounded in the attack, and two others were forcibly taken away by the PSF, who accused them of causing security problems in Bosaso.
“We are telling the people that we are sorry for the incident, that it is a major crime that has occurred constantly. We are telling the president of Puntland that we have a full complaint about this and that the police force cannot work in such a situation in Bosaso,” said Muumin.
The police commander also accused the PSF of landing illegal weapons at the Bosaso port and of causing deaths and injuries among the police in Bosaso.
However, the command of the PSF has denied the accusations, stating that the incident in Bosaso was committed by members of their forces whose relatives had been arrested. They have arrested the members involved for questioning.
The PSF also accused the police commander of making false accusations to divert attention from the kidnapping of their spokesman, Mohamud Jamal Doho, in Garowe. They have called on the police commander to immediately release their spokesman.
The PSF, which is not under the current Puntland administration and receives support from the United States, is managed by General Mohamud Osman Diyano, the brother of General Asad Osman Diyano.
The escalating tensions between the police and the PSF in Puntland underscore the need for a resolution to ensure the safety and security of the region. The accusations and counter-accusations highlight the complex and often fraught relationship between the two security forces, which could have significant implications for the stability of Puntland.
