The Somali National Security Architecture

 The Rift Valley Institute published in March 2024 a paper titled "The Shaping of the Somali National Security Architecture."

This policy paper assesses the revised National Security Architecture in Somalia, pinpointing critical deficiencies and offering policy recommendations to strengthen the national security framework.  

Somalia and the Conflict in Galkayo

The Mogadishu-based Heritage Institute for Policy Studies published in December 2016 a study titled "Gaalkacyo Conflict: Drivers, Contributors and Potential Solutions."

The study concludes there are three possible options for managing the Galkayo conflict. They include designating Galkayo a federally-administered city; a joint or agreed single administration for the city; and dividing Galkayo and the entire Mudug region into two regions. An end to the conflict in Galkayo is fundamental to solving the wider constitutional, land and resource-based issues in Somalia.

See comment, which notes that the Heritage Institute was not the author of this study.

Attacks on U.S. Troops in Somalia Lead to Airstrikes on al-Shabaab

The Military Times published on 29 September 2016 an article titled "Attacks on U.S. Troops in Somalia Leads to Airstrikes on al-Shabaab" by Andrew Tilghman.

The account reports two recent occasions when small numbers of US troops (presumably Special Forces) came under attack in Somalia from al-Shabaab and the US launched "self-defense" airstrikes in response. The first attack occurred on 26 September outside Kismayu in southern Somalia where the Pentagon said the strike killed 9 enemy fighters. The second attack occurred on 28 September in central Somalia near Galkayo where the Pentagon said the strike killed 4 al-Shabaab fighters.

The government of "semi-autonomous" Galmudug State issued a press release stating that the second attack mistakenly killed 13 Galmudug forces and injured another 7. The government of Galmudug State called for an apology and compensation from the United States.

Following a Pentagon investigation, it was confirmed that the American drone strike killed 10 members of a regional force allied with the United States. The Washington Post published on 10 November 2016 an article titled "After Initial Denial, Pentagon, Discovers It Killed 10 Allies in Drone Strike in Somalia" by Kevin Sieff.

Somalia's Dangerous Faultlines: Galkayo

The International Crisis Group published on 10 December 2015 a brief report titled "Galkayo and Somalia's Dangerous Faultlines" by Zakaria Yusuf and Abdul Khalif.  It looks at the tension between Puntland and the Galmudug  Interim Administration and between the Darod and Hawiye clans.