The Jubaland Darawiish Force () is a paramilitary force that forms the security unit of

Jubaland Jubaland (; ; ), or the Juba Valley (), is a States and regions of Somalia, Federal Member State in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies no more than east of the Jubba River, stretching from Dolow to the Indian Ocean, while its western si ...

, an autonomous federated state in southern

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

. The Jubaland Darawiish started operating under the administration of

Ahmed Madobe Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Islaam (Somali language, Somali: Sheekh Axmed Maxamed Islaam, Arabic: شيخ أحمد محمد إسلام) better known as Ahmed Madobe, is a Somali politician and a former militant who is the current president of the Jubala ...

. Headquartered in Kismayo, one of its primary bases is located in

Afmadow Afmadow () is a city in southern Somalia, located in the middle of the Juba region and bordered by Kenya, Badhadhe, Kismayo, Jamame, Jilib, Hagar, Bardhere and Elwaq in Somalia, it's 401 km southwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is home to ...

. Jubaland president Madobe has said that the force aims to focus on counter-terrorism and provocative actors within the state of Jubaland. The unit is commanded by Lt. Col Mahad Islaam.

Conflict with the Somali National Army

Following the

2024 Jubaland presidential election Indirect presidential elections were held in Jubaland, Somalia on 25 November. The incumbent president Ahmed Mohamed Islam was re-elected by members of the House of Representatives as the List of presidents of Jubaland, President of Jubaland for ...

, the Somali federal government refused to recognise the newly elected president Ahmed Madobe citing the lack of

universal suffrage Universal suffrage or universal franchise ensures the right to vote for as many people bound by a government's laws as possible, as supported by the " one person, one vote" principle. For many, the term universal suffrage assumes the exclusion ...

since the election was held based on the old indirect clan system where the electorate consisted of 75 individuals from prominent clans in the region. The federal government had requested the election be delayed until 2025 when plans for universal suffrage would be implemented. Madobe ignored this request and both the federal responded by stationing more troops in the region. On November 27, 2024, a gunfight broke out in the town of Raskamboni in the

Badhadhe District The Badhadhe District () is a district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or count ...

near the border with

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

between the Darawiish and Somali National Army. That day, the federal government announced an arrest warrant for Darawiish leader, chairman of the

Raskamboni Movement The Raskamboni Movement () is a jihadist Islamic movement led by Sheikh Ahmed Madobe, the current president of the Jubaland state in southern Somalia. After fighting with Al-Shabaab they managed to capture Kismayo with the help of Kenya. Hist ...

and Jubaland president Ahmed Madobe accusing him of

high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its d ...

, sharing classified information with a foreign power, and undermining Somalia's constitutional framework.
Agence de Presse Africaine
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References

Jubaland Military of Somalia Law enforcement in Somalia Political crises in Somalia {{Somalia-gov-stub

Conflict with the Somali National Army

See also

References