Saturday August 12, 2023
Hargeisa (HOL) - At least nine soldiers were killed, and 17 others were wounded in an ambush attack on police officers by the anti-government rebel militia based in Ga'an Libah Mountains on Friday.
Somaliland Police Commander Brigadier General Mohamed Adan Saqadhi, and Minister of Interior Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, told the local media in Hargeisa that the police officers were on their way to the Go'dayar district in the Sahli region during the attack.
"Given this incident and the loss of our police forces, their responsibility is to defend themselves and safeguard the nation. Henceforth, the police force is authorized to take appropriate action against the rebels," Saqadhi stated.
Minister of Interior Mohamed Kahin Ahmed explained that they had previously refrained from taking immediate action against the militias due to requests from elders and people in business. The Minister accused Abdirahman Irro, a presidential candidate from the Wadani Party, of impeding peace efforts on his part.
Abdirahman Irro, currently in Borama town, urged the rebel group to put down their guns and called upon the government to withdraw its military from the area where the rebels are concentrated.
"We are firmly against resorting to violence or armed confrontation. I urge the President to recall his troops and appeal to the armed men to disarm and resolve the disagreements through peaceful dialogue."
Irro emphasized that he is unwilling to have his presidential aspirations stained with bloodshed. "I am unwilling to sacrifice a single citizen's life for my presidential ambition. Our party stands for peace, solidarity, and unity," he affirmed.
Last month, however, Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi addressed concerns about the emergence of anti-government rebels in Ga'an Libah Mountain and downplayed the threat posed by the rebels, stating that the people of Somaliland were not interested in engaging in conflict.
The rebel group's spokesman, Ahmed Ali Haybe, claimed that the militia's recent activity in the mountains was in response to President Bihi's use of force against the opposition.