The Somaliland government and the Puntland administration have exchanged prisoners captured in the Battle of Las Anod

The prisoners flown out of Garowe today were 15 war prisoners, with the Somaliland government released 11 war prisoners from Hargeisa Central Prison.

The prisoners from the plane at Hargeisa airport were among those captured during the battle for Las Anod in mid-2023, which was fought between Somaliland forces and SSC militias supported by the Puntland administration and other regions of Somalia.

The war prisoners taken from Hargeisa were landed in Garowe, and were warmly welcomed at the Garowe airport by Puntland officials and some of their relatives and families. Some of the prisoners told the media upon their arrival that they were very happy to have their freedom, thanking the Somaliland government and people for the good treatment they received during their time in prison.

Also, 15 Somaliland prisoners taken from Garowe were landed at Hargeisa airport, with Somaliland government officials and some of their families waiting there to welcome them.

The two groups of prisoners, including officers, met at the Hargeisa Airport, and greeted each other there, with joy on their faces, expressing their feelings of happiness, and both sides of the prisoners acknowledged that they were treated well during their time in prison.

The Somaliland and Puntland communities have greatly welcomed the prisoner swap, describing it as a step towards bringing peace to the region, as the Somaliland government led by President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro) has previously stated that it is working to bring peace.

The Las Anod battle has resulted in the capture of senior Somaliland and SSC militia officers, with some of the Somaliland prisoners being held by the Puntland administration, while others, the majority of Somaliland army prisoners held in Lascaanod prison, including officers most notably Faysal Bootaan, are being held by the SSC militia in Khaatumo, which currently claims to be part of Somalia.

The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hamza Abdi Barre, visited the administrative capital of Las Anod in mid-April and requested the SSC administration to transfer two dozen prisoners held in Las Anod prison to Mogadishu, who were later flown to Hargeisa, although none of the prisoners captured in the war were exchanged for prisoners from the SSC or Puntland and released from Somaliland prisons.