JidbaaleIntense combat erupted Tuesday morning between Somali Federal Government forces and Jubbaland regional soldiers in the key town of Raas Kambooni, situated in the unstable Lower Jubba area.
The confrontations focused on Manaraani, around 30 kilometers from Raas Kambooni, and entailed significant artillery and small weapons fire. Local reports characterized the combat as the most severe in recent months. Both parties have allegedly incurred casualties, while precise numbers remain unverified.
The federal government has lately sent forces to the region, escalating tensions with Jubbaland. The semi-autonomous area has opposed federal intrusion, perceiving such actions as a ploy to weaken its authority.
Officials from Jubbaland said that federal soldiers instigated the conflict. The Jubbaland government said, “Our forces inflicted significant losses on militias transported by air from Mogadishu during their defensive operations.” It further said that Jubbaland soldiers had captured defensive positions formerly occupied by federal troops near Raas Kambooni.
The federal administration has yet to produce an official comment about the event.
Raas Kambooni maintains strategic relevance owing to its closeness to the Kenyan border and access to vital trade routes along the Indian Ocean. The town has been a hotspot in the continuing power struggle between Mogadishu and Jubbaland, which regularly conflicts with government desires for greater authority.
The Lower Jubba area has repeatedly experienced similar clashes, with local leaders rejecting centralized control. The recent conflict highlights the vulnerability of Somalia’s federal structure, whereby disagreements between the central authority and its semi-autonomous districts often develop into bloodshed.
Eyewitnesses in Manaraani describe a sense of uneasiness, with people anticipating more violence.
