Thursday December 12, 2024
Kismayo (HOL) – Jubbaland forces have taken full control of Raskamboni, a strategic town in Somalia's Lower Jubba region, following fierce clashes with federal troops, a regional official said Thursday.
Jubbaland's Deputy Minister of Internal Security, Aden Ahmed Hajji, announced the development during a press briefing in Kismayo, stating that some federal soldiers had surrendered while others fled to neighboring Kenya. The Somali government has not yet commented on the alleged loss of territory.
"We repeatedly warned this would happen, but federal leaders ignored us," Hajji said. "Raskamboni is now under the control of Jubbaland forces. Those surrendered soldiers are being treated well, and I urge those who fled to Kenya to return. No harm will come to them."
The federal government previously accused Jubbaland leader Ahmed Madobe of undermining national unity and resisting reforms intended to transition Somalia toward universal suffrage. Relations between Mogadishu and Jubbaland have been fraught since President Ahmed Madobe's re-election in 2024, which the federal government refused to recognize.
Mogadishu had warned Jubbaland leaders that they would be held responsible for any regional and federal forces clashes. Despite these warnings, tensions culminated in the battle for Raskamboni, which sits near the Kenyan border and holds strategic importance for trade and security.