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Somaliland clan leaders accuse Somali president of fueling conflict over Erigavo control


Saturday February 1, 2025


FILE - Boqor Osman Aw Mohamud Buurmadow, a prominent Somaliland traditional leader


Mogadishu (HOL) — A recent clan conference in Badhan, spearheaded by Dhulbahante and Warsangali leaders, has ignited fresh tensions between Somalia and Somaliland, with prominent Somaliland traditional leader Boqor Osman Aw Mohamud Buurmadow accusing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of orchestrating the gathering to provoke unrest.

The conference concluded with clan leaders announcing plans to seize the strategic city of Erigavo, located in Somaliland’s Sanaag region, triggering fears of an impending military confrontation. Buurmadow described the meeting as a politically motivated scheme to undermine Somaliland’s sovereignty under the pretext of democratic reforms.

“This is a project driven by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud,” Buurmadow said. “He is using the idea of a one-person, one-vote election to justify his interference in Sool and Sanaag, but in reality, he is fueling conflict.”

Buurmadow warned that the clans had begun stockpiling weapons and were preparing for a full-scale offensive. He claimed that their primary goal was to destabilize Somaliland by taking over key cities, starting with Erigavo.

“They have resolved to capture Erigavo, and preparations for war are already underway,” Buurmadow said, accusing clan militias of breaking previous ceasefire agreements and attacking rural communities.

Buurmadow detailed how recent peace negotiations had failed, blaming leaders of the SSC (Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn) for abandoning talks and choosing conflict instead. Traditional leaders from Somaliland had initially agreed to a peace deal mediated by Garaad Kulmiye, a senior figure from Ethiopia’s Somali Region. However, Buurmadow claimed the SSC leadership, led by the Supreme Garaad of the Dhulbahante, walked away from the agreement.

“Somaliland’s elders brought peace to Las Anod, but the SSC leaders sabotaged it. Their decision to prioritize conflict over peace was made clear when they called for war instead of dialogue,” he said.

SSC-Khaatumo leader Abdiqadir Aw Ali Firdhiye defended the decision to mobilize forces, accusing Somaliland’s military of abuses against civilians in Erigavo. “Our people have endured enough,” Firdhiye said. “We are organizing to defend them against further harm.”

Firdhiye alleged that Somaliland forces had conducted attacks on civilian areas, prompting the clans to take matters into their own hands.

The escalating crisis between the two sides has drawn international concern. Observers warn that the conflict could spiral out of control, potentially destabilizing the broader Horn of Africa. Analysts have urged both sides to seek peaceful solutions before violence spreads beyond the contested regions.



 





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