MOGADISHU, Somalia, July 9 – Somalia’s Minister of Defense, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, on Tuesday firmly denied allegations that the Federal Government had deployed troops to the northern regions of Sanaag and Sool, dismissing the claims as “baseless and unsubstantiated.”
In a strongly worded statement posted on social media, Fiqi rejected growing concerns from regional officials, particularly in Puntland, who have accused Mogadishu of sending forces to areas already fraught with political and security tensions.
“There have been unfounded reports suggesting the federal government has sent troops to Sanaag and Sool. I categorically deny these accusations. They are false and lack any supporting evidence,” Fiqi said.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upholding Somalia’s federal system, describing it as “vital to the country’s stability and constitutional integrity.” He warned against what he termed “deliberate efforts by certain unnamed actors” to sow discord and weaken the unity of the nation.
“Undermining the federal system is tantamount to undermining Somalia’s national sovereignty,” Fiqi added, emphasizing that the protection of the federal order is a collective responsibility shared by all Somali stakeholders.
The remarks come amid mounting political tensions between the Federal Government and Puntland State, following recent criticism by Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, who accused the central government of prioritizing troop deployments in Puntland over countering Al-Shabaab’s advances in central Somalia.
Relations between Somalia’s federal member states and the central government have remained strained in recent years, particularly over issues of security cooperation, resource sharing, and political autonomy.
