Puntland crisis (2001–2003)

The Puntland Crisis (2001–2003) was an armed conflict that took place in the Puntland autonomous state of northeastern Somalia following a leadership dispute between Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Colonel Jama Ali Jama after the latter had been elected as the region's new president.

After Puntland was established in 1998, Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was elected the regions first president, leading a regional transitional government set for two years. In 2000, the Transitional National Government (TNG) of Somalia was formed, which Yusuf's administration opposed out of concern that a new central state would favor the south. As Yusuf's term approached its end in 2001, his administration controversially moved to extend its rule, sparking a civil conflict within Puntland. Colonel Jama Ali Jama, a political rival to Yusuf who was supportive of the TNG initiative was elected in November 2001.

Rivalries intensified and tensions broke out in open violence after Yusuf rejected the election of Jama. At the invitation of Abdullahi Yusuf, the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) intervened in the conflict in support of him, based on the pretense that Jama was a supporter the Somali Islamist militant group Al-Itihaad Al-Islamiya. The Ethiopian government was opposed to the TNG, and by extension Jama Ali, due to his support of it.

Under the pretext of fighting 'terrorism' and with the backing of the Ethiopian army, Yusuf ultimately reasserted control in May 2002, solidifying his influence over Puntland.