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DHUSAMAREB, Somalia, 7 November 2026 Galmudug’s new leader Libaan Ahmed Hassan on Friday handed his private weapons and vehicles to state security forces, the Galmudug presidency said in a statement.
The equipment, which the statement said had previously been used in operations against Al-Shabaab, now becomes property of the state and will remain part of the security forces’ assets even after his term ends. The statement did not say how many vehicles or weapons were handed over.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attended the handover, which took place a day after the new Galmudug leader’s inauguration.
“Statehood is built on security power and assets being in the hands of state institutions mandated by law, rather than being the private property of individuals, businesspeople or politicians,” Hassan said.
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He said the move was part of efforts to strengthen Galmudug’s security forces, step up operations against Al-Shabaab and secure towns and rural areas still under the group’s control, according to the statement.
He said his goal was to bring security in Galmudug to a reliable level that would allow investment, trade and tourism to grow and let international organisations operate safely.
The Galmudug presidency said the decision also sends a message to leaders, politicians and anyone else holding privately owned weapons and military equipment, particularly in Galmudug.
Galmudug, in central Somalia, is one of the main battlegrounds in the government’s campaign against Al-Shabaab, which still controls parts of the state’s rural areas.