Mogadishu (WDN) – Somalia’s Minister of Defense, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, has once again stepped into a politically charged debate far beyond the traditional remit of his ministry, dismissing reports that the Federal Government is conducting military operations against Puntland in the divided city of Galkayo.

The remarks are the latest in a long series of public interventions by Fiqi on virtually every major political controversy in Somalia—a habit that has earned him a reputation among many Somalis as one of the government’s most outspoken political spokespersons rather than simply its defense chief.

Critics often joke that no national issue is complete until Fiqi comments on it. Addressing tensions in Puntland, the minister rejected allegations that Mogadishu is orchestrating military activities aimed at destabilizing the regional state. “There is no operation being conducted by the Federal Government against Puntland,” Fiqi said, urging both sides to preserve peace in Galkayo. He noted that the city had remained free from major conflict for the past eight years, arguing that its last significant unrest occurred during President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s previous administration.

Rather than substantively and constructive addressing the issue, Fiqi claimed that the current tensions stem from Puntland opposition groups, whom he alleged have established bases in and around Galkayo. He also denied persistent accusations that the Federal Government has supplied weapons, logistics, or military support to those groups through neighboring Galmudug. Those denials, however, are unlikely to settle the growing political controversy.

Puntland authorities have repeatedly accused Mogadishu of attempting to undermine the region’s stability by cultivating armed groups and encouraging political unrest—allegations the Federal Government has consistently rejected. The dispute has intensified in recent weeks after Puntland security forces seized weapons from troops they said were operating under the authority of the Federal Government in Bari region. Puntland has since announced efforts to identify and dismantle any remaining armed elements it believes maintain links to Mogadishu.

Fiqi’s comments have drawn mixed reactions. Supporters of the government argue that the minister is merely attempting to calm tensions and prevent further escalation.

Critics see something different. They argue that Fiqi has become the administration’s chief political defender, routinely commenting on elections, constitutional disputes, federal-state relations, opposition politics, diplomacy, and regional crises—subjects that often bear little direct relation to Somalia’s defense portfolio.

That pattern, critics say, has diminished the impact of his public statements. “Whenever there’s a political controversy, Fiqi is first to the microphone,” one political observer told WardheerNews. “Yet Somalis rarely hear him speak in comparable detail about defense reform, military modernization, or battlefield strategy.” Whether that criticism is fair or not, it reflects a broader perception that the Defense Ministry has increasingly become one of the government’s principal political messaging platforms.

As tensions between Puntland and the Federal Government continue to rise, the challenge facing both sides extends beyond competing public statements. For many observers, preventing further deterioration will depend less on political rhetoric and more on sustained dialogue, confidence-building measures, and credible efforts to reassure regional administrations that Somalia’s security institutions remain national rather than partisan.

For now, however, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi remains one of the loudest voices in the debate—speaking frequently on almost every issue confronting the country, even as many Somalis continue to ask whether the Defense Minister’s greatest battlefield has become the political arena rather than the defense ministry itself.

WardheerNews