The Puntland Security Force (PSF) is the security force of the autonomous
Puntland
Puntland is an autonomous state that considers itself to be part of Somalia, despite not accepting the legitimacy of Somalia's current governing administration. It was formed in 1998, and was a federal member state of Somalia from its fou ...
state in
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 PSF was formed in 2002 to combat terrorism in the region and is independent from the federal government of Somalia and the Puntland government. Among PSF’s main functions are conducting crime scene analysis, capturing and eliminating high-level targets, and reconnaissance.
Since the founding of the state in 1998, Puntland Security Force has operated in Puntland and throughout Somalia. Commanders and senior officials are appointed by a qualified panel approved by the Council of Ministers. The Puntland security apparatus has an independent military judiciary, which during peacetime only adjudges military proceedings. Retired members of the Force are also constitutionally guaranteed pensions.
History
The Puntland Security Force was formed in 1998 by the Puntland government.
In 2002, amid concerns that
al-Qaeda
, image = Flag of Jihad.svg
, caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions
, founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden
, leaders = {{Plainlist,
* Osama bin Lad ...
elements were operating in
East Africa
East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...
, the PSF was formally established as part of the Puntland Intelligence Security (PIS), which combined the PSF and the Puntland Intelligence Agency (PIA), with assistance from the Puntland government and the
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
.
In 2003, Mohamed Aden Bidar was appointed as the first PIS Director. Bidar then resigned and moved to Mogadishu where he became the first Commander of the Somali National Security Services (NSS). In 2004, Osman Abdullahi Mohamoud was appointed as PIS Director.
In June 2008, the Puntland Security Force (PSF) participated in a pivotal protection operation aimed at preventing a terrorist group from establishing hideouts in the Bargal Mountains, situated in the northeastern region of Somalia. This operation, characterized by strategic planning and coordinated efforts, underscored the PSF’s commitment to safeguarding the region against the threat of terrorism, thereby contributing to the overall stability and security of the area.
In 2009, President Faroole elected Colonel Ali Bindhe as a PIS Director without the consultation of U.S officials in Somalia. The officials rejected the appointment due to Bindhe’s lack of security experience. President Faroole and US officials agreed to divide the PIS into two divisions: the Puntland Security Force as a counterterrorism force, and the Puntland Intelligence Agency as an intelligence agency. The newly independent PSF was led by Director General Osman Abdullahi Mohamud.
After the passing of Director General Osman Abdullahi Mohamud, Asad Osman Abdullahi was appointed the new PSF Director in 2010.
In August 2010, the Puntland Security Forces (PSF) and other Puntland Defence groups launched a major offensive to eliminate Al Shabaab's daylight conquest of the town of Karin. The operation, which lasted close to a year, involved concerted efforts to counter the terrorist group’s advances and restore security to the region. Ultimately, the operation succeeded in pushing back Al Shabaab forces, forcing them to retreat towards the Galgala mountains.
In December 2018, Asad Osman Abdullahi resigned as the PSF General Director. After consultation with U.S. officials, Mohamud Osman Abdullahi was appointed as General Director.
Puntland Dervish Force
The Puntland Dervish Force is separate from the PSF and operates officially as the National Guard of Puntland's Armed Forces.
AK-74
The AK-74 ( Russian: , tr. ''Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1974 goda'', lit. 'Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1974') is an assault rifle designed by small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1974 as a successor to the AKM. While primarily ...
(Assault Rifle - 5.45×39mm)
* Machine Gun
**
PK machine gun
The PK (, transliterated as ''Pulemyot Kalashnikova'', or "Kalashnikov's machine gun"), is a belt-fed general-purpose machine gun, chambered for the 7.62×54mmR rimmed cartridge. The modernized and most commonly known variant, known as the PKM ...
DShK
The DShK M1938 (Cyrillic: ДШК, for ) is a Soviet heavy machine gun. The weapon may be vehicle mounted or used on a tripod or wheeled carriage as a heavy infantry machine gun. The DShK's name is derived from its original designer, Vasily Degtya ...
SVD Dragunov
The SVD (СВД; ), GRAU index 6V1, is a semi-automatic designated marksman rifle/sniper rifle chambered in the 7.62×54mmR cartridge, developed in the Soviet Union.
History
The SVD was designed to serve in a squad support role to provide prec ...
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank, rocket launcher. The RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and are now manufactured by the Russian company Bazalt. The weapon has t ...
(rocket-propelled grenade launcher - 40 mm)
Vehicles
* Main Battle Tank
**
T-54/T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks are a series of Soviet Union, Soviet medium tanks introduced in the years following the World War II, Second World War. The first T-54 prototype was completed at Nizhny Tagil by the end of 1945.Steven Zaloga, T-54 and T-5 ...
* Armoured Personnel Carrier
**
BTR-60
The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet Union, Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers (APCs). It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen in public for the first time in 1961. BTR (vehi ...
**
Fiat 6614
The Fiat CM6614 is a 4x4 wheeled armoured personnel carrier developed as a joint venture between Fiat and Oto Melara of Italy. The hull is welded steel, and the vehicle is amphibious. The first prototype was built in 1972.
Description
The CM6 ...
Toyota Hilux
The , stylised as HiLux and historically as Hi-Lux, is a series of pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The majority of these vehicles are sold as a pickup truck or cab chassis, although they coul ...
**
Nissan Frontier The Nissan Frontier is a nameplate used on three different pickup truck models by Nissan:
* Nissan Frontier (international), an alternative nameplate for the NP300/Navara on some markets
* Nissan Frontier (North America), a rebadged NP300/Navara f ...
** Armored Ford F350 Gun Truck
Artillery and Anti-Aircraft Gun
* Self-Propelled Artillery
** 122mm
BM-21 Grad
The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...
ZU-23-2
The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23×152mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for ''Zenitnaya Ustanovka'' (Russian: Зенитная Установка) – anti-aircraft mount. The GRAU index is 2A13.
Develo ...
Puntland Police Force
The Puntland security apparatus also operates its own
police
The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
force. The latter includes a Special Protection Unit.
Puntland Intelligence Agency
The Puntland Intelligence Agency is the intelligence bureau of Puntland's military. It was officially established in 2001 as the ''Puntland Intelligence Service'' during the rule of President
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed (, ; 15 December 1934 – 23 March 2012), was a Somali politician and former military official who served as the first President of Puntland from 1998 to 2004. He also played a key role in establishing the Transitional ...
, with help from the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The agency principally operates in the Puntland region, where it serves as the main intelligence and counter-terrorism wing of the government's security forces.
Puntland Maritime Police Force
The Puntland Maritime Police Force is a locally recruited, professional maritime security force. It is primarily aimed at preventing, detecting and eradicating
piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...
,
illegal fishing
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) is an issue around the world. Fishing industry observers believe IUU occurs in most fisheries, and accounts for up to 30% of total catches in some important fisheries.
Illegal fishing takes pl ...
, and other illicit activity off of the coast of Somalia, in addition to generally safeguarding the nation's marine resources.
In addition, the Force provides logistics support to humanitarian efforts, such as repairing wells; delivering relief supplies, medical supplies, food, and water; rehabilitating hospitals and clinics; and refurbishing roads, airports, and other infrastructure. It also offers skills training programs to local communities.
As of March 2012, the PMPF has around 500 troops. The Force is eventually expected to comprise 1,000 soldiers.
Agreements
In January 2015, President of Puntland Abdiweli Mohamed Ali signed a bilateral agreement with the EU head of Civilian Operations Commander for all Civilian Common Security Defence Policy (CSDP) Missions Kenneth Dean, which stipulates that a new EUCAP Nestor base will be established in
Military of Somalia
The Somali Armed Forces are the military forces of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Headed by the president as commander-in-chief, they are constitutionally mandated to ensure the nation's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
In ...