Wednesday October 9, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali Deputy Minister of Information, Abdirahman Yusuf Adala, has accused the Puntland administration of obstructing efforts to create a unified national army capable of operating across Somalia.
Puntland has consistently refused to allow recruitment of troops from its regions to join the Somali National Army, opposing federal efforts to deploy forces within its territory, Adala said on Wednesday.
"Puntland has rejected the army brigades that were intended to operate in the 54th area and beyond. The federal government trained an army to operate in the Galgala mountains, but Puntland rejected it," Adala said.
He added that the Somali government is open to discussions with Puntland to address their concerns.
The accusations follow recent remarks by Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, who stated that his administration is fighting al-Shabab and the Islamic State (IS) alone, without adequate federal support.
Last month, the International Crisis Group stated that the Islamic State in Somalia had become an important financial influence for terrorism, although IS-Somalia is not as active on the battlefield as its local counterpart, the al-Qaida-linked terror group al-Shabab.
IS-Somalia reportedly has between 100 and 400 fighters stationed in the northern part of the country. According to ICG, about half of the fighters are believed to be foreigners. Early this year, Puntland authorities arrested six Islamic State members who were Moroccans; they were later deported.