Instead, Irro's conciliatory policy style has allowed him to pacify Sanaag (claimed by SSC) and to explore realistic paths towards peace with the #Dhulbahante and re-engage #Puntland.

#Somalia #Somaliland #Africa

Notice the #Puntland soldiers wearing prominent #Somalia flag patches. Despite not recognizing the federal govt in Mogadishu, Puntland still considers itself proudly part of Somalia. Last year we debunked misconceptions that it had declared #independence: https://www.polgeonow.com/2025/06/puntland-independence-declaration-somalia.html

@geography @geopolitics @internationalrelations

In report's aerial shots, Sheebaab village is recognizable from satellite imagery, despite video's subtitles transcribing it incorrectly as "Sheebaad".

#geolocation #OSINT #Somalia #Puntland @geography @geopolitics @internationalrelations

Besides the ever growing Shabaab threat, conflicts have erupted with #Jubaland and #Puntland. They are far from resolved.

Concerns touch the centralization and presidentialization of power, in a country scarred by the Barre dictatorship, and the extension of MP and presidential terms, pushing back #elections by a full year.

#Somalia #Africa #terrorism

Possible but less likely targets — albeit still uncomfortably close — include #Ethiopia and #Puntland, close #UAE allies/proxies, while the first has also recently demonstrated her closeness to #Israel.

Besides the economic fallout or a redo of the #RedSea crisis, the rapid escalation in the #US Israel #Iran war means #Africa risks becoming a direct target, depending on if and when the #Houthis might enter the #war.

#Yemen

- Police entered the federal parliament in 2018, 2025. A famous stand off around the extension of former president of #Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed a.k.a. Farmaajo has led to armed clashes in 2021.

- #Puntland ’s current president Said Abdullahi Deni also remained in power thanks to the intervention of the PMPF in Puntland’s parliament in 2023.

#coup

Reinforced unionist, anti-#Israel sentiment also lessens #Puntland ’s leverage against Mogadiscio, which partly explains leader/president Deni’s silence. This is also the case for #Jubaland. It might therefore weaken their opposition to a national compromise on the constitution and elections to be held in 2026.

#Somalia

- The way forward -
Meanwhile, #Puntland is caught between a rock and a hard place. A #UAE client state, it has long supported #SSC-Khatumo against #Somaliland, but its hopes of annexing the region have been thwarted by that region becoming the Northeast federal state.

#Somalia