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.
The Taliban have once again reiterated their stance on the Bagram air base, stating that no one will be allowed to take control of it....
Four migrants died after their boat sank off the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece's coastguard said on Tuesday after launching a search-and-rescue opera...
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will visit Türkiye and Lebanon from November 27 to December 2, his first trip abroad since assuming the p...
French President Emmanuel Macron faced growing pressure on Tuesday to resign or hold a snap parliamentary election to end political chaos that has for...
Spanish Police say three people were injured in the partial collapse of a building in central Madrid on Tuesday adding that none of the injured was in...
Turkish President Erdoğan and Somali President Mohamud met in Ankara to reaffirm strategic ties, with a focus on counterterrorism and regional cooperation.
Thick smoke and flames rose over Mogadishu airport on Wednesday after a Ugandan military helicopter crash landed during a peacekeeping mission, leaving several crew members unaccounted for.
The Turkish-built Oruc Reis seismic vessel has successfully concluded its first intercontinental mission in Somali waters, conducting a 3D seismic survey over 4,464 square kilometres.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held separate phone calls on Saturday with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to talk about bilateral ties as well as regional and global topics.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
The Taliban have once again reiterated their stance on the Bagram air base, stating that no one will be allowed to take control of it.
Four migrants died after their boat sank off the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece's coastguard said on Tuesday after launching a search-and-rescue operation in the area.
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will visit Türkiye and Lebanon from November 27 to December 2, his first trip abroad since assuming the papacy.
French President Emmanuel Macron faced growing pressure on Tuesday to resign or hold a snap parliamentary election to end political chaos that has forced the resignation of five prime ministers in less than two years.
Spanish Police say three people were injured in the partial collapse of a building in central Madrid on Tuesday adding that none of the injured was in a serious condition.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment