MOGADISHU, Somalia — Heavily armed forces from Jubaland, a regional state member, have taken control of Raskamboni town from military units who were airlifted from Mogadishu weeks earlier.
Reliable sources say the city and its strategic airstrip fell on Wednesday after police and military units stationed there came under attack earlier on Thursday, leaving their defensive positions breached.
Local media reported that dozens of Somali military and police personnel were captured alive, while many others were seen being disarmed before crossing into Kenya from Somalia.
Deputy Minister of Security for Jubaland, Aden Ahmed Haji, stated that the battle began with a drone attack, claiming that troops recently deployed to Raskamboni raided their forces in the region.
Minister Haji also said they had captured dozens of soldiers alive, while others surrendered and are now in their custody. This claim has yet to be verified.
In response, the Somali military said its troops foiled an attack by militias loyal to President Ahmed Madobe of Jubaland, linking him to the Al-Shabaab group and alleging plans to raid its troops in the region.
Social media was flooded with critics who condemned Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for his decision to deploy military troops into a region with which they were unfamiliar.
Tensions escalated last month when President Mohamud rejected Madobe’s re-election for violating the unified election system and deployed military units in an effort to arrest him.
Madobe set a 15-day ultimatum for President Mohamud to withdraw troops from the Jubba region. A day before the deadline, his forces took control of the town, eliminating the threat to his reign.
The current crisis mirrors the 2013 fighting in Kismayo, when Mohamud clashed with Madobe over his refusal to step down. Madobe held his ground and has led Jubaland since.
Political analysts suggest that President Mohamud is unlikely to abandon his vision of implementing a nationwide election system, which Somalia has not used since 1969.
It remains unclear whether he will compromise with Jubaland, as his predecessor Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo did to avoid bloodshed and unrest, or proceed with his plan for nationwide elections.
