Puntland Forces Seize Federal-Aligned Military Camp in Galkayo

Puntland security forces launched a dawn assault before dawn on a military camp near Galkayo's Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed Airport held by Puntland Security Force (PSF) personnel who had recently aligned with Somalia's federal government. Heavy weapons and mortar fire were exchanged for over an hour; federal-aligned troops were driven out and withdrew to the Galmudug-controlled southern half of the divided city. Puntland forces reported over 100 arrests and seized weapons, vehicles, and equipment. A boy was killed and his mother wounded when a mortar round struck a residential neighborhood, triggering local displacement. Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni called it a 'planned security operation' sending 'a clear message to anyone working against the Puntland government.' The clash eliminates Mogadishu's last direct military presence in Puntland and is the second major battlefield setback for federal-aligned forces since 2024, deepening the standoff between Deni and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over the disputed March 2026 constitutional amendments.