It has been officially confirmed that the order to turn back aircraft carrying special forces from Puntland and Jubbaland was issued directly by the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hamza Abdi Barre.
Credible sources say the decision has triggered an immediate political crisis, prompting Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to hold an emergency meeting in the coming hours to discuss the political and security implications arising from the move.
Meanwhile, sources close to the Prime Minister’s office have confirmed that Hamza Abdi Barre is preparing a wide-ranging cabinet reshuffle in the coming weeks, a move expected to significantly shake up the country’s political landscape.
The Prime Minister’s Office is believed to be seeking a more assertive role in the ongoing political contest and Somalia’s delicate transitional phase, which observers describe as highly sensitive.
