The government of Somalia's semi-autonomous Jubbaland state said on Thursday it was suspending relations and cooperation with the federal government in Mogadishu following a dispute over local elections in the region.
Jubbaland, which borders Kenya and Ethiopia and is one of Somalia's five semi-autonomous states, re-elected regional president Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe for a third term in elections on Monday.
However, the national government based in Mogadishu, led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, opposed the election, saying it was held without federal involvement.
Jubbaland is seen as the breadbasket of Somalia and the capital Kismayo is a strategically important port. Its shoreline delineates a hotly contested maritime zone, with potential oil and gas deposits, claimed by both Somalia and Kenya.
As the election row escalated, the federal government issued an arrest warrant for Madobe, while Jubbaland issued a reciprocal one for President Mohamud on Thursday.
The feud is unfolding against the backdrop of Mogadishu's fraying relationship with Somaliland, another of its regions, which is seeking international recognition as an independent country.
"The Jubbaland government has officially and completely suspended relations and cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia," Jubbaland's state house said in a statement.
Jubbaland accused Mohamud of several offences including violating the constitution, corruption, fuelling clan conflicts and jeopardising Somalia's fight against Islamist insurgents.
A regional court in Mogadishu sought Madobe's arrest on Wednesday, accusing him of treason and revealing classified information to foreign entities.
The execution of the warrants remains uncertain, as both Madobe and Mohamud command large numbers of troops.
Somalia's information minister, Daud Aweis, told Reuters that the matter was in the hands of the judiciary, which was tasked with enforcing laws through its rulings and judgements. He did not immediately respond to the severing of ties.
Jubbaland's security minister, Yusuf Dhumal, did not respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this week, the national government dispatched additional troops to Jubbaland in response to the election.
In 2021, Jubbaland was among other regional governments that nearly clashed with the national government over plans to extend the time in office of the then president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.
Ukraine's military has been hit this month by restrictions on Starshield, the military version of SpaceX's...
Riot police fired tear gas at protesters in France’s largest cities and nearly 1,000 people were arrested during demonstrations against the r...
Iran is looking to turn its centuries-old tea culture into an opportunity for trade, industrial development and tourism as it held the Second Tea F...
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture.
Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, leaving one person dead and more than 500 injured as strong winds and torrential rain brought down trees, cut power and disrupted transport across the island.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday described a deadly shooting in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, as a racist attack and ‘a turning point’ for the country.
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, mass detentions and dozens of residents forced outside following a shooting incident the day before.
Armenian authorities have detained 10 more people in a vote-buying investigation involving the opposition Strong Armenia party, just two days before local elections in the northern town of Stepanavan.
Ukraine's military has been hit this month by restrictions on Starshield, the military version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications system. Its receivers stopped functioning when mounted on fast-moving objects such as drones, jeopardising some combat and air defence missions.
Riot police fired tear gas at protesters in France’s largest cities and nearly 1,000 people were arrested during demonstrations against the rising cost of living on Saturday (24 October). Police also used a water cannon on a group of around 500 hooded youths in Paris, after the main rally ended
At least five people were killed and several others injured in overnight attacks across Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, 25 October, as officials reported strikes on residential areas and industrial facilities, while Moscow claimed to have targeted logistics infrastructure and a cargo vessel.
Protests against war and rising living costs took place in major Italian cities on Saturday, with some incidents of violence and clashes, a week after unrest erupted across the country.
Bulgarians are voting in a presidential election on Sunday as deadly drone attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea raise security concerns and expose divisions over the country's response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment