Puntland's security forces: Darawiish, PSF, PMPF and police

In short

Puntland was founded in 1998, largely by leaders of the SSDF, and has built its own security forces since then. Its civil institutions are covered in Puntland's institutions. This page describes each armed body.

The Puntland Darawiish

The Darawiish (Dervish force) is Puntland's regular military force, described by Wikipedia as its national guard. Its listed weapons range from rifles and machine guns to older T-54/T-55 tanks, BTR-60 armoured vehicles and BM-21 rocket launchers (Wikipedia, Puntland Security Force). A 2014–2015 agreement for 3,000 Puntland troops to join the federal army was not carried out (Wikipedia, Somali Armed Forces).

The Puntland Security Force (PSF)

The PSF is a counter-terrorism unit with its headquarters in Bosaso. Wikipedia records that it was formally set up in 2002 within a joint intelligence and security service, with help from the US Central Intelligence Agency, and split from the Puntland Intelligence Agency in 2009 (Wikipedia). Vice News reported in 2022 that it was about 600 strong, that US Navy SEALs later took over its training, and that it operated largely outside Somali government control (Amanda Sperber, Vice News, 20 May 2022).

Leaders. Mohamed Aden Bidar (2003–2004), Osman Abdullahi Mohamud (2004–2010), Asad Osman Abdullahi (2010–2018) and Mohamud Osman Abdullahi (from 2018) (Wikipedia). Vice reported that the force had been led by members of one family, the Diano family, across three generations (Vice).

Bosaso, December 2021. After Puntland's president dismissed the PSF director in November 2021, rival PSF groups fought in Bosaso. Vice reported that at least 22 people were killed, including children, that mortar fire hit a hospital and homes, and that about 100,000 people fled. It traced mortars used to US manufacture; the US Africa Command said US forces were not involved. The director was reappointed in March 2022 (same source).

Operations. Wikipedia lists the Galgala campaign against al-Shabaab from 2010 and the 2016 Qandala campaign against the Islamic State among its engagements (Wikipedia).

The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF)

A locally recruited force set up to stop piracy and illegal fishing. It had about 500 members in March 2012, with 1,000 planned (Wikipedia). In January 2015 Puntland and the EU agreed a base in Garowe for EU maritime security training (same source).

The UN Monitoring Group's July 2012 report recorded that the force was set up in May 2010 with the involvement of Erik Prince, founder of the US firm Blackwater, and trained by Saracen International and then Sterling Corporate Services at a camp at Qaw/Bandar Siyada, west of Bosaso, able to host 1,500 trainees. It described the force as over 1,000 strong, reporting directly to Puntland's president, and called the programme "the most brazen violation of the arms embargo by a private security company". It said the force was financed mainly by senior UAE officials; the UAE government officially denied any involvement (UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, S/2012/544, 13 July 2012, paras 61–64). See UN Monitoring Group on Somalia.

Intelligence and police

The Puntland Intelligence Agency was set up in 2001 under President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed with US help. The police include a Special Protection Unit (Wikipedia). The Armo Police Academy, south of Bosaso, opened in December 2005 with UN funding (Wikipedia, Somali Police Force).

Operation Hilaac, 2025

In January 2025 Puntland launched Operation Hilaac ("Lightning") against the Islamic State in Somalia, sending about 3,000 troops into the Cal Miskaad mountains of Bari, with a second phase announced on 30 January and US air strikes in support (Daisy Muibu and Yayedior Mbengue, CTC Sentinel, May 2025).

Relations with the federal government

The same study records that Puntland has stayed out of the federal National Consultative Council since January 2023 (CTC Sentinel, 2025). Its forces therefore answer to Garowe, not Mogadishu. Puntland also disputes Sool and eastern Sanaag with Somaliland; see Somaliland armed forces.

Read the primary sources yourself

• Amanda Sperber, "Revealed: CIA-trained militia used US-made weapons in deadly attack", Vice News (2022): article.
• CTC Sentinel, "Somalia at a crossroads" (May 2025): article.