2.6. Puntland

Table of contents

2.6.1. Nugal

Nugal is divided into three districts, Burtinle, Eyl and Garowe. Garowe is also the name of Puntland’s capital.610 As of January 2026, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) estimated Nugal’s population at 656 910.611 For more detailed background information on Nugal, see section 2.6.1. of the EUAA COI Report Somalia: Security Situation (May 2025).

According to Map 3 Somalia – Approximate Territorial Control as of 31 March 2026 and Map 2 Somalia – Approximate Territorial Control as of 31 March 2025, Nugal region was controlled by ‘autonomous armed forces (unionist)’, including the towns of Eyl, Garowe and Burtinle.612

Political disputes between the Puntland authorities and Abdirashid Yusuf Jibriil, the former speaker of the Puntland Parliament, who supported the inclusion of Puntland-claimed Sanaag region into SSC-Khatumo, intensified during the reference period.613 Tensions also grew over the FGS’s recognition of SSC-Kathumo as federal member state in April 2025, officially renamed North-Eastern State on 1 August 2025 (see section 2.7 Sool, Sanaag, Cayn and North-Eastern State (NES)).

In November 2025, FTL Somalia reported on the ongoing increased presence of armed men linked to clan militias and political factions in Garowe.614 Previously, media had pointed to the worsening security situation,615 including a rising number of violent incidents involving members of security forces,616 civilian killings and sexual violence, often in the context of substance abuse.617 A disarmament campaign, launched by the Nugal administration in May 2025 following the killing of two civilians was reportedly met with resistance by clan militias and private security personnel.618

Media also reported of incidents of piracy619 and of suspected trafficking of arms, narcotics,620 and components of weapons off the coast of Eyl district.621

In the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, ACLED recorded 20 security incidents in Nugal region, including battles, explosions or other forms of remote violence, and violence against civilians, causing 22 fatalities.622

Figure 31: Evolution of security events and fatalities in Nugal per month, based on ACLED data.

Figure 31: Evolution of security events and fatalities in Nugal per month, based on ACLED data.623

Figure 32: Evolution of security events in Nugal per type, based on ACLED data.

Figure 32: Evolution of security events in Nugal per type, based on ACLED data.624

In the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, the following actors (coded as either ‘Actor 1’ or ‘Actor 2’) were, among others, involved in security incidents: 5 security incidents involved clashes between Police and Military forces of Somalia, all in Garowe city, and 8 incidents involved violence against civilians by Police and Military forces of Somalia, and unidentified armed groups and clan militias.

Illustrative security incidents

  • Two civilians were shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in a high-security area in Garowe in May 2025.625

  • Four people, including three police officers, were killed and two more injured in an attack by a former soldier in Garowe in July 2025. The attack was reportedly triggered by a dispute with tax enforcement officers confiscating a vehicle owned by the suspect.626

  • Conflict-related displacement

According to the UNHCR PRMN, 15 individuals were displaced from Nugal region due to conflict or insecurity in the period from April 2025 to February 2026.627 On the other hand, IPC noted that Nugal was among the regions most affected by conflict-driven displacement in the second half of 2025.628 Displacement was also reported due to flash floods629 and drought.630

Other impacts on civilian life and humanitarian situation

A December 2025 map by UNOCHA showed ‘very limited restrictions’ regarding humanitarian access across Nugal region.631 In total, UNOCHA recorded two humanitarian access incidents in 2025.632 Regarding the food insecurity situation as of January 2026, IPC reported that about 79 % of the total analysed population of 656 910 were either in Acute Food Insecurity IPC Phase 2 (stressed, 40 %), 3 (crisis, 29 %) or 4 (emergency, 10 %).633 NRC recorded the eviction of 14 898 individuals in Nugal region in 2025 and early 2026 (all of them recorded in 2025).634 ‘Notable’ eviction risks in IDPs settlements in Garowe district were reportedly linked to tenure insecurity and unresolved land disputes.635 Radio Ergo pointed to populations in IDP settlements in Garowe district facing shortages of food, water, shelter, healthcare, and education.636 At the beginning of the reference period, Somali media reported of repeated attacks by local armed groups on communication infrastructure in Burtinle district.637

  • 610

    UNOCHA, Somalia Administrative Reference Map, as of 20 July 2023, url

  • 611

    IPC, Somalia: Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Analysis January-June 2026, 24 February 2026, url, p. 4

  • 612

    PolGeoNow, Somalia Approximate Territorial Control, as of 31 March 2026, n.a.; PolGeoNow, Somalia Approximate Territorial Control, as of 31 March 2025, n.a.

  • 613

    Hiiraan Online, Clashes erupt in Sanaag region between Puntland forces and pro-SSC administration politicians, 5 July 2025, url; Wardheer News, MP Abdirashid Jibril Accused of Undermining Puntland in Secret Deal with Mogadishu, 25 June 2025, url

  • 614

    FTL Somalia, Puntland Police Chief Warns of Crackdown on Unauthorized Armed Men, 1 November 2025, url

  • 615

    Hiiraan Online, Puntland Vice President orders CCTV installation in Garowe to curb rising insecurity, 21 May 2025, url; Somali Magazine, Tensions Rise in Garowe as Puntland Speaker’s Guard Injured in Police Operation, 8 May 2025, url

  • 616

    Hiiraan Online, Puntland soldier kills two tax officials in Garowe town, 24 July 2025, url

  • 617

    Hiiraan Online, Puntland Vice President orders CCTV installation in Garowe to curb rising insecurity, 21 May 2025, url

  • 618

    Somali Magazine, Tensions Rise in Garowe as Puntland Speaker’s Guard Injured in Police Operation, 8 May 2025, url

  • 619

    BBC, Pirates fire grenades and board vessel off Somali coast, 6 November 2025, url; Wardheer News, Piracy Flares Again as Deadly Clash Erupts Off Coastal Puntland, 27 February 2026, url

  • 620

    Hiiraan Online, UKMTO warns ships after suspicious activity off Somali coast, 30 October 2025, url

  • 621

    ADF, Houthis Provide Somali Pirates With Advanced Tech, 27 January 2026, url

  • 622

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Somalia, data covering 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, as of 16 April 2026, url

  • 623

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Somalia, data covering 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, as of 16 April 2026, url

  • 624

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Somalia, data covering 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, as of 16 April 2026, url

  • 625

    Hiiraan Online, Gunmen kill two civilians near government buildings in Garowe, 4 May 2025, url

  • 626

    Hiiraan Online, Puntland police arrest former officer linked to deadly attack in Garowe town, 25 July 2025, url

  • 627

    UNHCR, PRMN Datafile – Somalia, as of 16 April 2026, url

  • 628

    IPC, Somalia: Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Analysis January-June 2026, 24 February 2026, url, p. 3

  • 629

    IFRC, DREF Final Report Somalia Population Movement, 25 September 2025, url, p. 3

  • 630

    UNOCHA, Somalia Monthly Humanitarian Update – September and October 2025, 13 November 2025, url, p. 1; Radio Ergo, Long drought forces hundreds of pastoralist families to flee to Garowe, 13 February 2026, url

  • 631

    UNOCHA, Somalia Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026, 27 January 2026, url, p. 1

  • 632

    UNOCHA, Humanitarian Access Snapshot (2025), 8 January 2026, url, p. 1

  • 633

    IPC, Somalia: Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Analysis January-June 2026, 24 February 2026, url, p. 4

  • 634

    NRC, Evictions, n.d., url, filter ‘2025’ and ‘2026’, respectively, as year, ‘Nugal’ as region. Numbers include data until 31 March 2026, as of 8 April 2026.

  • 635

    Somalia, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management - Puntland, et al., Puntland Eviction Risk Assessment Report: Developing a Balanced Understanding of Evictions in Puntland to Inform Early Warning Actions and Solutions Interventions, July 2025, url, p. 3

  • 636

    Radio Ergo, Marginalised families in Puntland displacement camps face hunger, discrimination and neglect, 21 May 2025, url; Radio Ergo, Poor IDP women hit by ban on sale of scrap metal in Garowe, 6 December 2025, url

  • 637

    Wardheer News, PUNTLAND: Internet Disrupted in Burtinle as Armed Men Cut Golis Fiber Optic Cables – The Fourth Attack This Year, 6 April 2025, url; Horseed Media, Burtinle oo markale dabley ka jartay adeegga internetka Golis. [Burtinle has once again cut off the Golis internet service.], 6 April 2025, url