Claim: Reports circulating on social media claim that the Federal Government of Somalia has deployed troops to areas within Galmudug State in central Somalia, with the intention of removing the regional administration.
Verdict: False! There is no evidence indicating that troops have been deployed to central Somalia to carry out any operation against the Galmudug administration.
Full Story
In recent hours, various individuals on social media have been sharing claims that large numbers of troops were moved from Mogadishu to the cities of Dhusamareb and Guri’el in central Somalia, allegedly to remove the existing regional administration.
Among those spreading these claims is former Deputy Director of NISA, Abdisalam Gulled, who posted on his social media platforms that NISA Director Mahad Salad had deployed approximately 120 soldiers to Guri’el in the Galgaduud region to destabilize the administration. See here and here.
The claim has widely circulated across different social media platforms, prompting public discussion from various perspectives. However, SomaliFactCheck.org investigated the matter to determine the accuracy of these allegations.
Verification
Somali Fact Check conducted a thorough investigation into the claim by contacting officials from the Galmudug administration, NISA officers, representatives of the Federal Government, and local residents.
All sources confirmed that there is no factual basis for the claims circulating online.
Galmudug officials stated that no federal troops have entered or attacked any areas under their administration. They also emphasized that the Federal Government and Galmudug are working closely together in joint operations against terrorist groups.
Independent sources further confirmed that no troops were deployed by the Federal Government to Galmudug during March 2026. These sources also noted that nearly 20,000 government troops are already engaged in operations against terrorist groups in central Somalia, indicating there is no need for additional deployments.
Conclusion
The claim that the Federal Government of Somalia deployed troops to remove the Galmudug administration is false. There is no credible evidence to support the allegation, and all verified sources confirm that no such deployment took place.
