The Federal Government of Somalia has announced a major change to the command structure of one of its army formations, moving the headquarters of the 26th Division from Hargeisa to Las Anod and appointing new officers to lead the unit.
Lieutenant Colonel Abdirahman Awad has been named commander of the 26th Division of the Somali National Army, with Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Jama, popularly known as Galow, taking up the position of deputy commander.
The changes place Las Anod at the centre of the division’s operations after the Federal Government designated the city as the administrative headquarters of Somalia’s North-East State.
The relocation also comes against the backdrop of renewed efforts by Mogadishu to expand its institutional and security footprint in parts of northern and eastern Somalia.
The Federal Government recently authorised salaries for 2,500 members of the security forces serving under the North-East administration, a development that preceded the latest changes involving the 26th Division.
The latest appointments and relocation are therefore likely to give the Federal Government a more prominent security presence in the region as it continues to reorganise military structures outside the capital.
Awad will now take charge of the army division, while Galow will serve as his deputy under the new arrangement.
The Federal Government announced the appointments as part of changes affecting the leadership and operational location of the 26th Division.
The move also carries historical significance for Somalia’s military structure.
The 26th Division was among the major formations of the Somali National Army during the country’s former central government, when its headquarters was based in Hargeisa.
Its transfer to Las Anod represents a significant geographical shift for a formation historically associated with Hargeisa, placing its command centre in a city further east.
The development comes as Somalia continues to navigate questions surrounding federal authority, regional administrations and security structures across the country’s northern territories.
Las Anod has increasingly emerged as an important political and administrative centre following the establishment of the North-East State, while Mogadishu has sought to consolidate its relationship with the administration.
The latest military changes add a security dimension to those efforts, with the Federal Government now placing the headquarters of a major army formation in the city.
The government has not, in the statement reported by Horseed, provided further details on the timeline for the physical transfer of personnel, equipment and operations from Hargeisa to Las Anod.
It is also not immediately clear whether all operational functions of the 26th Division have already shifted to Las Anod or whether the relocation is being implemented in phases.
The appointments nevertheless signal a change in the division’s command at a time when Mogadishu is seeking to strengthen federal institutions and security arrangements in northern and eastern Somalia.
The 26th Division will now operate under the newly appointed leadership of Awad and Galow, with Las Anod set to serve as its new headquarters.