MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Fierce gun battles continued for a fifth day on Tuesday in the southern Somalia town of Balad-Hawo, as forces loyal to the federal government and the Jubaland regional administration vie for control of the strategic town and the wider Gedo region.
The latest round of fighting erupted early Monday morning and continued until shortly before sunset. Hostilities resumed again on Tuesday, with both sides exchanging heavy weaponry, leaving the town’s residents in fear and despair.
Federal troops are being led by Abdirashid Janan, the former Jubaland Security Minister who was recently appointed as the head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) for the Gedo region. His arrival in Balad-Hawo last week is widely seen as the spark that reignited the conflict.
Government forces are currently based at a location known locally as the “UK Camp” on the outskirts of the town. However, Jubaland troops, who maintain control over Balad-Hawo, have reportedly cut off access to essential services—blocking water, electricity, and basic supplies from reaching the federal troops. Both sides have traded accusations of provocation and escalating the violence.
A journalist speaking to Universal Somali TV confirmed that both sides received fresh reinforcements on Monday, suggesting preparations for a potentially prolonged confrontation. Efforts by local elders to mediate a ceasefire have so far failed. For many residents, peace now hinges on a military victory by one of the factions.
Thousands of civilians have fled their homes since the fighting began. Telecommunications in the town have been disrupted, further exacerbating the crisis. With physical cash virtually obsolete in the region, the breakdown in mobile money services has paralyzed commerce and daily life.
Casualty figures remain unclear, as both sides have restricted information. Jubaland forces continue to block public access to the town’s hospital, where the injured are being treated. Meanwhile, wounded federal troops are reportedly being evacuated to hospitals in the capital, Mogadishu.
The violence is not confined to Balad-Hawo. On Sunday night, Ethiopian troops backing Jubaland forces launched a coordinated assault on a NISA base in the nearby town of Dolow. Several federal officers were killed or wounded in the raid, and others—including Dolow’s top NISA official, identified as Shikhalow—were taken into custody.
Footage shared widely on social media appeared to show a weapons depot at the NISA base engulfed in flames following artillery strikes by Ethiopian troops. Despite the high-profile nature of the attack, the Somali federal government—whose president is currently visiting Ethiopia—has yet to issue an official statement, prompting backlash and speculation on social media.
Tensions between Mogadishu and Jubaland routinely intensify in the lead-up to presidential elections, as both sides seek to control the selection of MPs from Gedo. Given that Somalia elects its president through an indirect vote by parliament, influence over local parliamentary appointments can significantly sway the outcome.
While the federal government has announced plans to hold the country’s first universal suffrage election in decades by 2026, regional stakeholders including Jubaland have rejected the plan. They argue that the ongoing insecurity across large parts of Somalia makes such a vote unrealistic, and accuse the central government of attempting to extend the president’s mandate under the guise of electoral reform.
Mogadishu had intended to launch voter registration in Gedo as part of the process, but the latest clashes cast serious doubt over the feasibility of conducting peaceful elections in the region—and in other areas under the control of its opponents.
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