FGS warns Jubaland over responsibility for clashes as troops deploy to Ras Kamboni

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Tuesday December 3, 2024

FILE - Somalia's Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur at his office

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia's Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur has warned the Jubbaland administration that it would be held accountable for any armed clashes involving federal forces in the contested Lower Jubba region.

The statement comes as Mogadishu escalates its campaign against Al-Shabaab with a deployment of 1,000 ground troops to the strategic Raaskambooni area.

During a press conference in Mogadishu, Minister Nur stressed the federal government's resolve to dismantle Al-Shabaab's grip on southern Somalia. He dismissed allegations that the troop deployment threatens Jubbaland's autonomy, describing such claims as "misguided and politically motivated."

"These troops are fulfilling their constitutional duty to protect Somalia from terrorism," Nur stated. "Attempts to misrepresent their mission as an assault on Jubbaland are baseless and counterproductive. Any group that confronts them with hostility will bear the consequences."

The deployment has heightened tensions in a region already fraught with disputes over governance and security. Jubbaland's leadership has accused the federal government of undermining its authority, a charge Mogadishu vehemently denies. The defence minister criticized Jubbaland officials for politicizing the federal presence, warning that such actions jeopardize the national effort against Al-Shabaab.

"This narrative undermines our shared fight against Al-Shabaab, a group that has terrorized our nation for too long," Nur added, pointing to recent successes in Bulo Haaji, where federal forces inflicted heavy losses on the militant group.

The defence minister's comments follow a wave of defections from Jubbaland state forces to federal troops in Raskamboni. According to video footage obtained from the Somali National Army (SNA) on Monday, 110 Jubbaland soldiers arrived on skiffs emblazoned with the Jubbaland Police emblem and surrendered to federal forces. A senior SNA officer welcomed the defectors, saying, "You came in peace, and we welcome you as part of our own. Your salaries will be ensured. You are home, not guests."

Former Jubbaland state forces sit on a beach in Raskamboni after surrendering to the Somali National Army. CREDIT / SNA

The defectors reportedly cited grievances over unpaid wages and expressed disillusionment with their role, saying they joined the military to combat Al-Shabaab, not to fight fellow Somali troops. Their defection follows a similar incident last week when another group of Jubbaland forces who joined up with SNA forces were airlifted to Mogadishu for training and administrative processing.

On Sunday, Jubbaland state officials dismissed claims that their forces had joined federal Somali National Army (SNA) troops in Raaskambooni.

The strategic importance of Raskamboni, located near the Kenyan border, makes it a critical battleground in the ongoing conflict. Federal officials view the operation as a decisive step toward weakening Al-Shabaab's operational base, while Jubbaland sees it as a potential threat to its autonomy.

Correction Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the 1,000 troops deployed to Raskamboni as Danab forces. The troops are ground forces from the Somali National Army, not the elite Danab unit. The article has been updated to reflect this clarification.

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