Galkayo (WDN) – The security situation in the divided city of Galkayo appears to have stabilized, with both the Puntland and Galmudug sides remaining calm following days of heightened political and military tensions. According to information obtained by WardheerNews, security forces from both administrations have maintained restraint while senior security officials continue efforts to prevent any deterioration in the situation.

On the Puntland side, authorities have significantly reinforced their security presence throughout the city. Security personnel have reportedly been deployed at key intersections and strategic locations, with checkpoints closely monitoring vehicle movements. Sources say the operation is intended to prevent military equipment or armed reinforcements from entering Galkayo through neighboring Galmudug-controlled territory.

Officials familiar with the developments told WardheerNews that security leaders from Puntland and Galmudug have held discussions aimed at preserving peace in the city, which has long served as a symbol of cooperation despite being jointly administered by the two regional states. The talks reportedly focused on maintaining public order, preventing misunderstandings between security forces, and ensuring that political tensions do not escalate into armed confrontation.

Separate reports obtained by WardheerNews indicate that on Wednesday evening a number of personnel previously aligned with the Puntland Security Force (PSF), who had been stationed near Galkayo Airport, crossed over and formally joined Puntland’s official security forces.

According to local sources, 83 officers and enlisted personnel are said to have defected from the PSF during the latest development. The reported defections come only weeks after Puntland authorities seized eight armed combat vehicles reportedly operated by the PSF near Bosaso. During that earlier operation, Puntland officials also announced that 84 officers and soldiers had surrendered and joined government security forces.

Although the figures have not been independently verified, the developments appear to suggest a continuing erosion of support within sections of the once-powerful force.

Questions Over the Future of the PSF

Political observers say the latest defections have intensified speculation over the future of the Puntland Security Force.

Many Puntland residents increasingly view the organization as having lost much of its previous legitimacy, with critics arguing that it has evolved into a clan-based force operating outside the state’s formal military command structure.

Supporters of the Puntland administration have also pointed to the PSF’s absence during Puntland’s difficult campaign against ISIS militants in the Cal Miskaad mountains. According to critics, the force did not participate in frontline operations and allegedly declined requests to provide even a small number of technical vehicles to assist Puntland troops engaged in some of the region’s fiercest fighting.

Those accusations have become central to the political debate surrounding the force’s future, although PSF representatives have previously rejected similar criticisms.

Clan Tensions Add to Political Complexity

WardheerNews has also learned that political discussions surrounding the security crisis continue to be influenced by longstanding clan rivalries. Some political figures and community members have accused elements associated and led politically by Boqor Burhaan, of resisting any political leadership in Puntland outside of their inner circle.

Those claims remain politically sensitive and reflect opinions expressed by some local actors rather than independently established facts. Nevertheless, they underscore how deeply security, politics, and traditional clan dynamics remain intertwined within Puntland’s evolving political landscape.

For now, however, Galkayo remains calm, with ongoing coordination between Puntland and Galmudug security officials offering cautious hope that dialogue and cooperation will prevail over confrontation, even as broader political tensions continue to unfold elsewhere in Somalia.

WardheerNews