Kismayo (WDN) – Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Ahmed Madobe) has issued a stark warning over escalating tensions in Puntland, cautioning that the region could be facing a repeat of the military confrontation that unfolded in Ras Kamboni earlier this year.

Speaking amid growing reports of an alleged federal military build-up targeting Puntland, Ahmed Madobe urged the people of Puntland to safeguard the peace and stability they have built over decades and to remain vigilant against what he described as efforts to destabilize their administration.

“The Friday they are talking about is no different from the Friday of Ras Kamboni,” Madobe declared. “There is no difference. What is being sought today is a ‘Ras Kamboni II’ in Puntland.”

The unusually blunt remarks underscore mounting fears that Somalia’s long-running political standoff between the Federal Government and Puntland could spill over into open confrontation. Although the Federal Government has not publicly confirmed any plans for military action, reports circulating in political and security circles have fueled concerns that tensions between Mogadishu and Puntland are entering a dangerous new phase.

Madobe, who has himself been at the center of previous disputes with the Federal Government, framed the situation as more than a regional disagreement. He warned that any attempt to undermine Puntland’s administration by force would risk destabilizing one of Somalia’s most secure federal member states and further deepen the country’s political divisions.

His comparison with Ras Kamboni carries particular significance. The earlier confrontation in the strategic southern town became one of the most contentious episodes in Somalia’s recent political and security landscape, leaving lasting scars on relations between the Federal Government and regional administrations. By invoking that episode, Madobe suggested that Puntland could now face a similar test unless political restraint prevails.

The Jubaland leader appealed directly to Puntland’s citizens, urging them to protect their hard-won peace and resist any actions that could plunge the region into conflict. “Puntland has preserved stability through years of sacrifice,” he said in essence. “Its people must not allow that achievement to be dismantled.”

His warning comes at a time of heightened political uncertainty across Somalia, where disputes over constitutional authority, elections, and federal-state relations continue to strain the country’s fragile federal system. Analysts caution that any escalation involving Puntland would carry consequences extending far beyond the region, potentially undermining national security cooperation and efforts to combat extremist groups.

Madobe’s remarks are likely to intensify an already charged political atmosphere, placing additional pressure on Somalia’s leaders to resolve their differences through dialogue rather than confrontation.

As speculation continues over developments in Puntland, his message serves as a warning that military solutions to political disputes could have lasting consequences for Somalia’s stability. Whether the alarm proves justified or not, the comments reflect growing anxiety among regional leaders that the country’s political crisis is approaching a dangerous turning point.

WardheerNews