Saturday April 1, 2023
Las Anod (HOL) - Heavy fighting erupted for the second consecutive day in northern and western Las Anod on Saturday morning, with both sides accusing one another of instigating the latest confrontation. As the clashes escalate, there are growing concerns about regional stability, the potential for further violence, and the impact on healthcare services for displaced individuals.
An independent military source informed HOL that the fighting has spread to parts of eastern Las Anod. The situation continues to deteriorate amid conflicting reports and claims from the opposing forces.
Officials from the Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn (SSC) regions have accused Somaliland forces of attacking their forces from three directions. According to the SSC, their militia successfully repelled the offensive. Abshir Abdiaziz, the deputy chairman of the SSC Committee, reported that the Somaliland military had suffered losses in both vehicles and personnel during the recent conflict.
In contrast, the government of Somaliland issued a statement asserting that their armed forces were attacked by troops from Puntland state and Las Anod militias. Somaliland authorities allege that Puntland is using Las Anod as a shield to disrupt regional peace.
Somaliland authorities announced that they had captured Farah Dalmar, an MP from Puntland, whom they accused of being involved in the attack.
Somaliland said that Puntland regional MP Farah M Dalmar was captured along with other soldiers during Saturday's clash. PHOTO SLNTV The escalation follows Somaliland's Friday statement asserting its
right to defend its territorial integrity, in response to strong criticism from the US Embassy in Somalia. The embassy had urged Somaliland to
withdraw its security forces to prevent further violence.
In recent months, Somaliland, once considered one of the most stable and peaceful regions in the Horn of Africa, has experienced a significant increase in violence.
The conflict has led to hundreds of deaths and the displacement of over 200,000 individuals.
According to UNICEF, the ongoing conflict has strained healthcare services, particularly at Kalabeyd Health Centre in the Sool Region. Just 32km from the fighting in Las Anod, the center provides critical health services for displaced women and children. Already at full capacity and struggling with limited supplies, equipment, and personnel, the center has resorted to using makeshift tents to treat patients. However, many are still left without shelter as they wait for treatment.
Deep-rooted clan and territorial disputes lie at the heart of the violence, threatening to destabilize the broader Horn of Africa region. The Isaaq clan constitutes the majority in Somaliland, while the Harti-Darod clan dominates the disputed regions of Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn.
The immediate cause of the recent surge in violence can be traced back to the assassination of a prominent Dhulbahante opposition politician in Sool, which led to riots and a crackdown by Somaliland security forces.
Regional and international actors are concerned that the ongoing conflict in Las Anod could ignite a broader clan confrontation and potentially destabilize peace and stability across the already turbulent region.