Exclusive WARYATV Exposé: Puntland Secretly Funds Khaatumo Forces—Top Leaders Direct Pay Amid Regional Tensions
In a stunning revelation obtained exclusively by WARYATV, former Puntland Dervish commander Col. Abdirahman Abdullahi Ahmed, known as Afweyne, has exposed a covert operation where Puntland continues to finance and command Khaatumo forces in the contested Cayn region. This directly contradicts public denials by SSC Khaatumo officials, highlighting deep fissures in Somalia’s fragile political landscape.
Col. Afweyne, currently in Buuhoodle, confirmed to WARYATV’s security analysts that Puntland’s government has not ceased payments to the Ceyn Regional Defense Forces, which include Khaatumo militias. “Over a thousand soldiers—Dervishes and police alike—are still on Puntland’s payroll, actively defending strategic territories in the Cayn region,” Afweyne disclosed.
Crucially, our intelligence sources inside Puntland reveal that the operational command and financial disbursement of these forces are orchestrated under the leadership of Puntland Vice President Luga-toor and former Vice President Ahmed Karaash.
Both figures have long been influential power brokers within Puntland’s military and political hierarchy, reinforcing suspicions that Puntland is deliberately maintaining proxy forces to assert control over eastern Somaliland’s volatile borderlands.
This shadow funding raises serious questions about the true nature of Puntland’s role in the ongoing conflict in the Cayn region.
The SSC Khaatumo administration’s Information Minister recently dismissed claims that Puntland pays Khaatumo forces as “fabrications.” However, WARYATV’s investigation reveals a coordinated strategy by Puntland to deny involvement publicly while covertly sustaining a paramilitary presence aimed at destabilizing rival administrations and influencing territorial claims.
Our sources suggest that the continuation of these payments is a tactical move designed to maintain leverage in a region critical for Puntland’s broader ambitions.
The Cayn region, rich in resources and strategic routes, has become a flashpoint for competing claims and military confrontations. Puntland’s backing of armed groups under the guise of local security forces complicates peace efforts and risks escalating violence.
WARYATV’s exclusive findings underscore the urgent need for transparent accountability mechanisms among Somalia’s federal member states.
The duplicity in Puntland’s approach to military funding threatens not only regional stability but undermines trust among communities yearning for peace and development.
As Somalia prepares for a historic transition to universal suffrage and political reconciliation, the hidden hand of Puntland’s proxy funding casts a long shadow over these efforts. The international community must demand clarity and enforce compliance with Somalia’s federal framework to prevent further fragmentation fueled by covert militarization.
This exposé is part of WARYATV’s ongoing commitment to revealing the complex dynamics shaping the Horn of Africa’s security environment. Our intelligence will continue to monitor these developments and provide in-depth analysis to empower policymakers and citizens alike.
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