At least 112 people killed in fighting in Somaliland

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) – At least 112 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in fierce fighting in the town of Lasanod in Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland over the last three weeks, a medical official said Tuesday.

Abdimajid Hussein Sugulle, the director-general of a public hospital in Lasanod, provided the latest figures to Anadolu.

“More than eight people were killed in today’s heavy fighting alone, and many others were wounded. Some of those hit by bullets and shells were admitted to hospitals,” said Sugulle.

He said Tuesday’s fighting was the fiercest in the three weeks and continued for more than seven hours.

He added that the casualties included medical workers.

Fighting started in Lasanod, the administrative capital of Somaliland’s eastern Sool region, after a group of local leaders, civil society groups and religious leaders announced last week that they would no longer recognize the Somaliland government.

In a statement, they said the territory would now be ruled from Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital.

The Somaliland administration has labelled the local forces “terrorists” and blamed them for the violence.

The Sool and Sanaag regions have been disputed territories with both Somaliland and Puntland state claiming ownership.

Mohamed Husein Gaas, director of the Raad Peace Research Institute in Mogadishu, who spoke to Anadolu over phone, said the conflict in Lasanod is rooted in Somaliland’s “occupation” of the Sool region since 2007, which is against the will of the overwhelming majority of the local population.

“This prolonged occupation has led to extreme political, economic and social marginalization and subjugation of the Dhulbahante clan, which includes the assassinations of more than 120 prominent community leaders and clan elites. In response, the Lasanod population rose up to demonstrate against Somaliland,” he said.

He said the only feasible and viable solution to the conflict in Lasanod is an immediate, unconditional and genuine cease-fire.

Somaliland forces must also withdraw from the Sool region, he said.

“Implementing these two things can provide a good environment conducive to political dialogue between Dhulbahante clan leaders, Somaliland authorities and the federal government of Somalia with the support of international actors and UNSOM,” he added, referring to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia.

According to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula, the clashes have displaced more than 80,000 people, compounding the drought-induced humanitarian crisis in Sool and Sanaag.

“Each day, around 1,000 Somalis are crossing into Ethiopia to escape clashes in Laascaanood (Lasanod), Sool region. So far, more than 60,000 have arrived,” the UN said earlier this week.

The town is disputed between Somaliland and the semiautonomous state of Puntland, with the neighbors having fought several times over the territory.

Protesters were out in Lasanod to demand the expulsion of Somaliland security forces and for the town to be handed over to Puntland authorities.