Puntland accuses defectors of destabilization, urges Galmudug to hand them over

The Puntland administration has strongly criticized former Puntland forces who later joined the Federal Government of Somalia and then moved toward the Galmudug administration.

Puntland’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamud Aydid Dirir said the forces were part of a group he accused of planning disturbances in the city of Galkacyo but that they later shifted to Galmudug.

Speaking at a press conference in Garowe, Aydid Dirir claimed that some of these personnel were presented as federal forces after leaving Puntland and heading toward Galmudug.

“The forces that were trying to cause unrest, some of them those who were said to be federal forces defected to Galmudug,” he said.

The minister urged Galmudug to send the forces back to Puntland and hand them over, accusing Puntland’s rival administration of sheltering people he described as criminals.

“Galmudug is required to return them Puntland should bring those criminals back into custody,” Dirir said.

He also leveled serious accusations at President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud claiming the president was involved in a plan to create tension between the neighboring administrations of Puntland and Galmudug.

Dirir added that the Federal Government aims to cause misunderstandings between the two administrations.

His his remarks come as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is in Dhuusamareeb, with plans for him to travel to Galkacyo and Puntland’s current president, Said Abdullahi Deni, is already there.

Mustaqbal