GAROWE (KAAB TV) – After an attack on the Bosaso police station on Wednesday and another violent incident in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, General Mumin Abdi Shire, Puntland’s Police Chief, has blamed both incidents on the Puntland Security Force (PSF), a paramilitary unit trained and equipped by the U.S.
The Police Chief stated that the two incidents resulted in the deaths of at least one soldier and injuries to several others.
Additionally, detainees were illegally freed from the police station during the attack in Bosaso, Puntland’s commercial city.
“We are telling the president of Puntland that we cannot work with the police force in this situation,” said General Mumin, who has called on President Said Abdullahi Deni to intervene in the situation.
#PUNTLAND: After an attack on the Bosaso police station on Wednesday and another violent incident in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, General Mumin Abdi Shire, Puntland’s Police Chief, has blamed both incidents on the Puntland Security Force (PSF), a paramilitary unit trained and… pic.twitter.com/gV0qy4KGJx
— Kaab Somali TV (@KaabTV) June 6, 2024
According to General Mumin, on Wednesday the PSF attacked the Bosaso police station, releasing detainees. The day before, the PSF forces allegedly opened fire on police officers attempting to arrest members of alleged pirate groups in Garowe.
In response, the PSF issued a press release denying the accusations. The PSF stated that the Bosaso incident was not sanctioned by their command and claimed the Garowe attack was provoked by “an act of kidnapping the spokesman of the PSF”.
While not denying in the involvement of both incidents, PSF statement mentioned “clan related issues” as part of the violence.
They also accused the police commander of making “baseless accusations against the PSF.”
The attacks in Garowe and Bosaso come amid reports that General Asad Osman Diyano, former head of the PSF, has been holding meetings in Mogadishu with leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia, who are currently in conflict with Puntland.