Las Anod (ANN)-Somali President Calls for Unity and Prisoner Release in Historic Las Anod Visit; Somaliland Condemns “Provocation”
In a visit described by locals as historic, the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, concluded a multi-day trip to Las Anod, the capital of the Sool region, on Sunday.
The President’s primary mission was to attend the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected leader of the North East regional administration (commonly referred to as SSC-Khatumo), Mr. Abduqadir Firdhiye, and his deputy.
The event, held at a packed stadium, drew significant crowds. President Mohamud was welcomed by a cross-section of society, including local officials, cultural elders, intellectuals, women, and youth groups, underscoring the symbolic importance of the visit to an area that has been a focal point of territorial dispute between the Federal Government, the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, and Puntland.
Key Address: Prisoners, Peace, and Sovereignty
In his keynote speech, President Mohamud addressed several critical and sensitive issues:
1. Prisoner Release: The President revealed that discussions had taken place between local leaders and the North East administration regarding the release of long-held prisoners from both sides of the Somaliland-Las Anod conflict. “I want the prisoners to be released and there are no prisoners,” President Mohamud stated, framing the issue as a humanitarian imperative for reconciliation.
2. Rejection of Israeli-Somaliland Ties: In his strongest remarks, the President unequivocally rejected the recent recognition of Somaliland by Israel and any potential for Israeli military bases. “I will never accept Israel to establish a government and military bases in Somaliland,” he declared, labeling such a move a threat to regional stability and Somali sovereignty.
3. Call for Somali Unity: Appealing directly to the people and leadership of Somaliland, President Mohamud invoked the history of the 1960 union between Somaliland and Somalia. He cautioned against repeating past mistakes while simultaneously calling for national unity. “We call for Somali unity,” he said, suggesting dialogue within a federal framework as the path forward.
Somaliland’s Fierce Rejection
The visit was immediately condemned by the government in Hargeisa as a deliberate provocation and a violation of Somaliland’s sovereignty. Somaliland’s President, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro), addressed an emergency session of the National Assembly, delivering a fiery rebuttal.
President Cirro accused President Mohamud of “fueling conflict and creating instability.” He invoked Somaliland’s traumatic history, referencing the destruction wrought by the regime of Mohamed Siad Barre in the late 1980s. “The most powerful government in the Horn of Africa was the military government of Mohamed Siad Barre. The most powerful government in Africa was buried in Hargeisa,” Cirro stated, alluding to Somaliland’s hard-won de facto independence.
Quoting the famed Somali poet Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame (Hadrawi), President Cirro sent a defiant message: “Bring the leftovers.” He concluded with a firm pledge: “Somaliland will never accept the invasion of their land… we will not allow anyone to violate our land.”
Regional Implications and Attendance
The inauguration and the Somali President’s presence there are widely seen as a significant political maneuver, strengthening the Federal Government’s ties with the new SSC-Khatumo administration and dealing a strategic blow to both Somaliland’s claims over Sool and Puntland’s historical influence in the area.
The high-profile event was attended by Federal Government Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, several Somali regional state leaders, and international delegations from Djibouti and Turkey, highlighting the complex geopolitical interests at play in the Horn of Africa.
The visit coincides with heightened tensions following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a move opposed by the Somali Federal Government and the Arab League, further complicating the already volatile political landscape of the region.
By Arraale M Jama Freelance Journalist and Human Rights activist.
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