Puntland Alleges Qatar Funded Extremists Behind DP World Manager’s Assassination.
Puntland has accused the government of Qatar of orchestrating the 2019 assassination of Paul Anthony Formosa, the DP World port manager killed in Bosaso, and of providing political and financial support to extremist groups operating in northern Somalia.
In a sharply worded statement, Puntland’s Minister of Information, Mohamud Aidid Dirir alleged that Qatar “harbors and finances” individuals linked to ISIS- and al-Shabaab-inspired networks, including Sheikh Mohamed Said Atam — the former al-Shabaab commander from the Galgala mountains who is believed to be living in Qatar.
The minister also claimed that Doha supports media platforms such as Middle East Eye, which he accused of circulating “propaganda” and “false narratives” intended to undermine Puntland’s security operations.
“The terrorists in the mountains and those spreading their ideology through media are one and the same,” the minister said. “Puntland will eliminate every group that advances ISIS and al-Shabaab’s agenda, and we will confront any state that enables them.”
Formosa, a senior manager for DP World, was shot dead in Bosaso in March 2019. At the time, al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, and the incident was widely attributed to the militant group.
Puntland officials did not clarify why the administration is only now pointing to Qatar, nor did they present new evidence linking Doha to the killing.
Qatar has long rejected accusations that it supports extremist organizations in the Horn of Africa. Officials in Doha have not yet responded to Puntland’s latest claims.
The renewed accusations come as Puntland intensifies military operations against ISIS-aligned cells in the Al-Miskad mountains and publicly warns against foreign interference.
Analysts say the remarks reflect both a shifting geopolitical environment in the Gulf and longstanding regional rivalries that frequently spill into Somali politics.
Whether the allegations signal a new diplomatic confrontation or a domestic political maneuver, they reopen unresolved questions surrounding one of Puntland’s most high-profile security incidents — and highlight the volatile intersection of counterterrorism, foreign influence, and regional competition in the Horn of Africa.
