By Asma Abdullahi - Reporter
Somalia, 18 June 2026 – Puntland said on Thursday that it was not part of the Somali National Army and its participation would depend on an agreement with the federal government on formation of a national force.
The resolution was made after a meeting of Puntland’s cabinet chaired by President Said Abdullahi Deni and attended by Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor.
The cabinet said unresolved issues included the structure, command and legal framework of the national army.
Puntland instructed its security and justice institutions not to allow troops or military vehicles that do not belong to the regional administration to operate in or pass through its territory.
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The statement followed the federal government’s appointment of General Jimale Jama Takar as commander of the Somali National Army’s 54th Division, which is based in Garowe.
The cabinet warned that anyone violating Puntland’s directives and laws would face legal action.
It also called on residents to cooperate with security agencies in protecting peace and stability in the region.
Puntland and Somalia’s federal government have been at odds over constitutional changes, elections, power-sharing and the division of authority between Mogadishu and federal member states.