Bosaso (WDN) – As clashes linked to the ongoing military confrontation and political dispute continue between Puntland security forces and armed groups loyal to Somalia’s Police Commissioner, tensions remain high in the Bari region.

According to reports Puntland security forces have consolidated control of the Laag area outside Bosaso following fierce clashes with the Puntland Federal Forces (PFM), escalating concerns over the growing rivalry between competing armed formations operating in Puntland.

Local sources indicate Puntland Darawiish forces seized eight military vehicles and an ambulance abandoned during the fighting. Reports also claim that two PFM fighters were killed, one was wounded, and 42 others surrendered after becoming surrounded during the confrontation.

Those claims have not been independently verified, and neither Puntland authorities nor Somalia’s Federal Government has released official casualty figures. However, the fighting did not end at Laag.

According to local reports, PFM fighters based in the coastal town of Xaafuun launched a retaliatory attack after the clashes at Laag. During the subsequent confrontation, the PFM fighters allegedly killed three Puntland Darawiish soldiers, wounded another, seized two military vehicles, and captured 11 Puntland Darawiish soldiers.

If confirmed, these developments would suggest that what began as a localized confrontation has evolved into a broader and more mobile conflict, raising fears that the security crisis could spread beyond its original flashpoint. Meanwhile, traffic along the strategic Bosaso–Kalabayr corridor remains suspended after Puntland authorities closed the road following the outbreak of hostilities, disrupting civilian movement and commercial transport.

The confrontation reflects a broader dispute over the movement and command of armed units operating within Puntland. Regional authorities have repeatedly insisted that forces taking orders from Somalia’s Federal Government cannot deploy or move through Puntland territory without prior authorization from the Puntland administration.

Security analysts warn that continued clashes between rival security forces could have serious political and security consequences for Puntland. They argue that unless competing chains of command are resolved through political dialogue, repeated confrontations risk undermining stability in one of Somalia’s traditionally more secure federal member states.

As of publication, neither Puntland authorities nor Somalia’s Federal Government had issued a comprehensive statement confirming the reported casualties, prisoner captures, or equipment losses.

WardheerNews