Garowe (WDN) — Puntland’s Danab Commando Force has issued an unusually forceful public statement warning that the region is on the brink of a dangerous internal conflict, cautioning that any renewed military confrontation—particularly against the Puntland Security Force (PSF)—could plunge Puntland into another round of destabilizing violence.

The statement, released by the force’s leadership, reflects growing concern over rising tensions within Puntland’s security establishment following recent clashes involving the PSF and government forces. In the statement, the Danab Commandos accused Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni of steering the region toward internal conflict, alleging that his administration is once again preparing to use military force against fellow Puntland security personnel rather than pursuing dialogue.

According to the command, reports suggesting the possibility of renewed attacks against the PSF have heightened fears of another armed confrontation. “We strongly warn against the outbreak of war in Puntland and against any unjustified military assault on the Puntland Security Force (PSF),” the statement said.

The command accused President Deni of fueling political divisions that risk escalating into armed conflict, arguing that Puntland has already experienced several similar crises under his leadership. “This would be the fourth time such internal conflicts have occurred in Puntland, with state security forces being turned against one another,” the statement claimed.

The Danab leadership stressed that the current crisis is not the result of an external threat or foreign aggression, but rather a political dispute among Puntland’s own leadership. “There is no outside force invading Puntland,” the statement asserted. “The conflict is political in nature and is rooted in disagreements among the people of Puntland.”

The statement went further, alleging that the underlying dispute centers on what it described as “authoritarian rule and the monopolization of power by President Said Deni’s family”—language that underscores the depth of political polarization gripping Puntland. The command also accused President Deni of treating political dissent as a security threat.

According to the statement, anyone expressing views that differ from those of the administration increasingly risks becoming a target, while Puntland is being transformed into a political environment where only one viewpoint is tolerated.

The Danab Commandos appealed directly to Puntland’s political leaders, security institutions, and the wider public to prevent further bloodshed among forces drawn from the same communities. “We call on all Puntland stakeholders to prevent the shedding of Puntland soldiers’ blood and to stop efforts aimed at pitting Puntland’s security forces against one another,” the statement said.

In one of its strongest assertions, the force declared that President Deni would bear full responsibility for any future outbreak of armed conflict within Puntland. “The responsibility for initiating any war or civil conflict in Puntland will rest entirely with President Said Abdullahi Deni,” the statement concluded.

The warning comes at a particularly sensitive moment following recent fighting involving the PSF, whose legal and institutional status has become increasingly contested amid broader political disagreements within Puntland.

The statement also highlights growing strains within Puntland’s own security institutions, raising fresh concerns that unresolved political disputes could increasingly spill over into military confrontations. Puntland authorities had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the Danab statement at the time of publication.

The unusually direct criticism from an elite security unit underscores the seriousness of the current political and security climate. As tensions continue to rise, observers warn that preventing further escalation will require political dialogue and restraint rather than military confrontation if Puntland is to avoid another potentially destabilizing internal conflict.

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