Puntland Seizes US-Trained Security Force Camps in Two Days
Puntland forces captured the Puntland Security Force headquarters in Galkayo and Bosaso, ending a long-standing US partnership.
Key points
- Puntland forces seized the PSF camp in Galkayo on August 5, 2026, and Bosaso headquarters the following day.
- The PSF was built with CIA help and trained by US special forces for nearly two decades.
- US support ended in October 2021 when equipment was transferred to the Diyaano family.
Puntland state forces captured the Puntland Security Force camp in Galkayo on August 5, 2026. President Said Abdullahi Deni called the action a planned security operation. The next day, the force withdrew from Bosaso without resistance.
This move ended the PSF's presence in the region. For twenty years, Washington treated the group as a key counterterrorism partner. The sudden collapse highlights the fragility of local alliances in Somalia.
Origins of the Elite Force
The PSF grew from the Puntland Intelligence Service. A 2025 study notes the CIA helped establish it shortly after the September 11 attacks. It split into an intelligence agency and an elite counterterrorism unit.
US special forces trained the PSF. According to a 2022 Brennan Center study, CIA officers recruited and paid the fighters for a decade. The Pentagon later took over management under Section 127e authority.
Complex Command and Control
The force operated differently from the Danab brigade. The Danab received State Department peacekeeping funds. The PSF reported directly to the Department of Defense. This separation created distinct funding and command channels.
A 2016 incident in Galkayo revealed tensions. US forces conducted a self-defense strike at the PSF's request. A Pentagon investigation found ten Galmudug force members were killed. Galmudug officials accused Puntland of misinforming Washington.
End of American Support
The US military left Somalia in January 2021. This withdrawal removed Pentagon guidance and salaries. Sahan’s Somali Wire reported that US support ended in October 2021. Equipment was handed directly to the Diyaano family.
The Diyaano family ran the force for three generations. Asad led the PSF until 2018. His brother Mohamud took command until Deni fired him in November 2021. Brown University’s Costs of War project noted that total US spending on Somali counterterrorism aid reached $2.5 billion since 2007, though intelligence costs remain undisclosed.
