Carmo (WDN) — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, facing mounting criticism over allegations of widespread corruption and deteriorating security, has issued a forceful warning to actors he accuses of undermining Puntland’s stability. He asserted that the region remains fully capable of safeguarding its peace and advancing its development without external interference.
Speaking at the Carmo military training camp during the graduation of newly trained forces, Deni addressed elite units that had completed a UAE-backed program, using the platform to deliver a message that blended confidence with unmistakable political signaling.
“Puntland is sufficient unto itself against those who oppose its peace and progress,” Deni said, standing before ranks of newly trained soldiers. “We have defeated coordinated plots driven by malicious intentions aimed at undermining the very existence of Puntland.”
The training program, funded by the United Arab Emirates, marks another phase in Puntland’s ongoing effort to strengthen its security architecture, particularly in the face of persistent militant threats.
But the president’s remarks went beyond counterterrorism. In carefully worded statements, Deni appeared to take aim at unnamed forces operating within Puntland under what he described as “different labels”—a reference widely interpreted as directed at units aligned with the Federal Government of Somalia.
“No one will be allowed to embed themselves in our territories under different names,” he warned. “Puntland’s security forces are fully capable of ensuring stability. This is not a matter open to negotiation.”
The comments underscore growing tensions over security jurisdiction and authority, particularly as competing chains of command and political loyalties increasingly overlap on the ground.
Deni also sought to frame Puntland’s recent security posture as a story of resilience under pressure, pointing to operations against ISIS-linked militants in the Calmiskaad mountain range as evidence of operational success. “We have endured difficult times, including the fight against ISIS in Calmiskaad,” he said. “Our partners stood with us, and we prevailed.”
In that context, the president offered explicit praise to the United Arab Emirates, crediting it with sustained support in both training and rebuilding Puntland’s security forces. “The UAE has supported Puntland in critical moments,” Deni stated. “Their contribution to training and rebuilding our forces has been significant.”
The speech, delivered against the backdrop of a military graduation, doubled as a political statement—one that reasserts Puntland’s insistence on security autonomy while signaling resistance to any parallel structures operating within its territory.
As regional dynamics continue to evolve, Deni’s message was clear: Puntland intends to define and defend its own security space.
WardheerNews