Saturday April 15, 2023
Hargeisa (HOL) - The President of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland, Mr. Muse Bihi Abdi, held a video conference today with ambassadors, deputy ambassadors, and diplomats from mainly European countries, including Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, as well as a representative from the European Union. The meeting aimed to address the ongoing conflict in Las Anod and discuss the stalled upcoming elections in Somaliland.
Tensions have escalated in Las Anod due to territorial disputes and political disagreements between the Republic of Somaliland and the SSC-Khautmo militia. Heavy fighting has persisted in the area since the SSC announced they would no longer recognize the Somaliland Administration on February 5, following a nine-day 'self-determination conference.'
Bihi said his government took several measures to diffuse tensions after Somaliland forces shot and killed dozens of unarmed protestors.
"The government dispatched a delegation of ministers to the town of Lasanod to address the ongoing issues and initiate dialogue with traditional leaders. However, the cultural leaders rejected these efforts."
Somaliland is a self-proclaimed republic with no international recognition, formed in 1991 as a separatist state breaking away from Somalia's northwestern region during its civil war. It spans over a strip of land of almost 137,600 square kilometres along the south of the Gulf of Aden – a crucial shipping route, including for petroleum, connecting the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. The SSC lays claim to a third of that territory.
Puntland gained control and began administering the Las Anod area in 2003. In 2007, Somaliland forces expelled the Puntland military and gradually occupied most of eastern Sool over the next decade and a half. Hargeisa has worked to integrate Somaliland's eastern regions into its political institutions and has overseen modest development. However, it has been perceived as biased and favouring their primarily Isaaq-populated western districts, particularly the petroleum-rich Aynabo and Garadag.
The recent unrest in Las Anod began on December 26 with the assassination of a local opposition politician and prominent member of Somaliland's Waddani National Party, Abdifatah Abdullahi Abdi (Hadrawi), by unknown assailants, which sparked anti-Somaliland government demonstrations throughout the city.
Somaliland's security forces responded by indiscriminately shooting at unarmed protesters, killing as many as 20 during the initial protests, which continued into early January.
Despite declaring a shift to offensive tactics, Somaliland's troops have been stationed outside the city, which remains under the control of a local committee of 33 Dhulbahante clan elders.
The conflict in the region has elicited international condemnation, mediation efforts by neighbouring Ethiopia, and calls for humanitarian relief due to concerns over further escalation.
Ethiopia and Djibouti have attempted to mediate the conflict in Somaliland, with Ethiopia sending a delegation to Hargeisa and Garoowe in March 2023 to discuss the cessation of hostilities in Las Anod. Ethiopia has strategic interests in protecting its access to the Berbera Port.
The intensifying political and security crises poses a significant humanitarian threat, with increasing food insecurity, limited access to essential services, and waves of internal displacement. Approximately 95,000 refugees and asylum-seekers have arrived in Ethiopia from Somalia since the conflict in Las Anod began in early February 2023, placing additional strain on resources and leading to a higher incidence of waterborne illnesses.