AFRICOM and Puntland dispute coordination of Somalia strike

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Puntland administration have provided conflicting accounts regarding the coordination of a September 17 strike against an Al-Shabaab weapons storage site in northern Somalia.

Puntland authorities stated that the operation targeted a depot in Markad, located in the Cal Madow mountains, and claimed the strike was carried out through direct coordination with Puntland security institutions. The regional administration described the site as a logistical node used to supply attacks across Somalia.

In contrast, AFRICOM announced that the strike, which targeted a conventional weapons warehouse in the Sanaag region, was conducted “in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia” and alongside the Somali Armed Forces. While both accounts agree on the general target and timing, AFRICOM’s official statement did not mention Puntland as a coordinating partner, instead emphasizing its partnership with the federal government.