Balad-Hawo, Somalia – Tensions are running high in Somalia’s Gedo region amid growing fears of renewed armed conflict between federal government forces and Jubbaland state troops, particularly around the strategic border town of Balad-Hawo.
The contested region, which is mostly under the Jubaland state, is witnessing heightened political and military instability, as rival forces prepare for a potential showdown.
Military movements have been reported in various parts of Gedo, with pro-federal government forces and Jubbaland’s Darawiish troops reportedly deploying in close proximity.
Sources on the ground say Jubbaland forces, recently ousted from Balad-Hawo, have regrouped and are mobilizing in surrounding areas — raising fears of a possible counteroffensive to retake the town.
Meanwhile, the Somali federal government has reinforced its troop presence in the region and placed its forces on high alert, particularly in and around Balad-Hawo.
The escalating tensions coincide with the federal government’s reported plan to establish a new local administration in Gedo, independent of the Jubbaland leadership under President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Ahmed Madobe).
That initiative is already underway in Garbaharey, the regional capital of Gedo.
Government sources confirmed that a delegation from Mogadishu is expected to visit Balad-Hawo in the coming days to accelerate the formation of what some are calling a “new Jubbaland” aligned with the federal authorities.
Residents and civil society groups in the region have expressed deep concern over the possibility of renewed fighting, warning of humanitarian consequences for civilians caught in the middle of the ongoing political power struggle.
