Puntland Withdraws Recognition of Federal Government, Declares Independent Operation

Puntland State announced it was withdrawing recognition of the Federal Government of Somalia and would operate independently until a new constitution acceptable to all federal member states — subject to a public referendum — is agreed. The announcement by Puntland's administration under President Said Abdullahi Deni followed the SNA seizure of Baidoa and Laftagareen's resignation. Puntland had already been in a stand-off with Mogadishu over the March 2026 constitutional amendments. The move marks the most serious rupture in Puntland-FGS relations since Puntland declared itself a semi-autonomous state in 1998. Somalia now faces a genuine governance fracture: the FGS controls Mogadishu and the newly seized Baidoa but faces open non-recognition from Puntland and intense hostility from Jubbaland. The constitutional crisis is compounded by the approaching expiry of parliamentary mandates (April 14) and presidential terms (May 15) under the 2012 Provisional Constitution.