Somalia: Doolow Explosions Trigger Clash of Accounts Between Jubbaland and Mogadishu

Jubbaland said General Abdirahman and members of his family were inside the residence when the explosions occurred, sustaining minor injuries before being moved to a secure location for treatment. The Somali federal government, however, has denied any involvement in the incident and offered a different account. Government officials said preliminary information gathered by security agencies indicates that the explosions were caused by materials being prepared inside the house, rather than by an external airstrike. The government's account could not immediately be independently verified. Jubbaland authorities also said another missile struck near the residence of the Doolow district commissioner, although further details about the reported incident were not immediately available, while describing the incident as an escalation of foreign military involvement in Somalia's internal political disputes. The administration warned that what it characterized as Turkish military support for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud could further threaten Somalia's stability and recovery. The conflicting accounts have not been independently verified. There was also no immediate independent confirmation of Turkey's alleged involvement or of the Somali government's explanation for the explosions. The regional administration also called on the United Nations to reconsider the lifting of Somalia's arms embargo and said it would no longer regard Turkey as a credible mediator in Somalia's internal political disputes. The incident is particularly sensitive because of Doolow's humanitarian significance. The border town hosts large numbers of people displaced by climate-related crises and is home to a significant United Nations humanitarian presence and raised concerns about the safety of displaced communities and humanitarian personnel operating in the area. The allegations come amid broader political tensions between the federal government in Mogadishu and the Jubbaland administration, as well as Turkey's expanding security and political role in Somalia.