Balad-Xaawo (Raxanreeb Online) – Heavy fighting broke out again early Monday morning in Balad-Xaawo town, Gedo region, between Somali Federal Government troops and forces from the Jubbaland administration.

Local sources report that the clashes were concentrated in the village of Amiin, on the outskirts of Balad-Xaawo, where Jubbaland forces had established a base. The fighting has reportedly caused deaths and injuries among both sides, though no official casualty figures have been released.

Federal military officers claimed to have captured several Jubbaland soldiers and seized their base. The Jubbaland administration has not yet issued an official statement.

Jubbaland Vice President Mahamud Sayid Adan, speaking later in the day, accused the Federal Government of initiating the attack. He confirmed that casualties occurred on both sides and said the wounded had been transferred to Mandera, Kenya for treatment. Adan called on elders, political leaders, and MPs from Gedo region to seek a resolution before the conflict escalates further.

Officials from the Jubbaland Darawiish forces confirmed losses among their ranks. Meanwhile, Federal Government authorities in Gedo have not publicly commented on the cause of the fighting, who fired first, or the scale of the damage.

The head of the Federal NISA in Gedo, Abdirashid Hassan Abdinuur (Janan), accused Kenya of directly aiding Jubbaland forces by providing bulldozers to dig their defensive trenches. He also alleged that wounded Jubbaland fighters were being treated in Mandera, describing this as a breach of neighbourly relations. Janan called on Kenya to hand over vehicles marked with Somalia’s insignia and to uphold respect between the two countries.