The authorities of the Somali separatist region of Somaliland have accused on Sunday the Somali Army of launching an attack against their forces amid the open conflict in the city of Las Anod, the capital of the province of Sool and scene for days of an upsurge in hostilities between Somaliland forces and local unionist militias demanding their integration into Somalia.
The latest upsurge in fighting began seven days ago and the death toll fluctuates depending on the sources. The latest estimates from medical and local sources gathered by Shabelle Media Network point to between 100 and 200 dead, to which must be added dozens of wounded.
The unilateral cease-fire declared on Friday by the Somaliland authorities, who have accused the militias of breaking it on at least two occasions, the last one at 5:30 a.m. this Sunday, has been to no avail. However, according to the network, the local leaders behind the integrationist movement known as the Authority of Unity and Salvation of the regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC), have denied any involvement.
Shortly after, and in a statement picked up by the Somali digital television HBN Online on its Twitter account, the Somaliland Foreign Ministry has directly accused the Federal Government of Somalia and the regional state of Puntland of direct involvement in the conflict after attacking its forces stationed in the city, without further details of the clashes having transpired.
«What is happening in Las Anod is not an expression of social grievance but a premeditated attempt to destabilize Somaliland. This morning, armed forces of the Federal Government of Somalia attacked positions of the Somaliland Army,» the Ministry assured in the note.
Somaliland has particularly accused Puntland of accumulating troops in the Tukaraq area on the border between the two states and has ordered Puntland forces not to advance a step further.
Somaliland authorities declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but it has not gained wide international recognition for its status and has faced opposition from some clan elders in disputed areas along its border with Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland state.
Traditional SSC leaders, such as Garad Jama, have declared themselves «completely willing to accept the ceasefire as long as the enemy shows that they want to talk,» he said in statements reported by Shabelle Media Network.
The fighting erupted on Monday hours after regional clan leaders claimed they were loyal to the federal authorities and stressed they would abide by the constitution, sparking criticism from Somaliland authorities, who took control of the city some 15 years ago.
Faced with this situation, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, on Tuesday called on the Somali authorities for a «credible and impartial» investigation into the clashes and warned of their impact on «an already fragile humanitarian situation in the region».
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
