Thursday June 8, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre met with traditional elders from the Sool, Sanaag, and Ayn regions, collectively known as SCC-Khatumo, in Mogadishu on Wednesday afternoon. This marked the second meeting between the President, Prime Minister, and the SCC-Khatumo delegation since their arrival last week.
During the meeting, President Mohamud expressed appreciation for the decisions made by the United Nations Security Council concerning the situation in the contested town of Las Anod. He emphasized the urgent need for emergency aid to be provided to the local population and to create a conducive environment for peace restoration.
President Mohamud further reiterated the government's commitment to resolving the regional crisis peacefully and without using arms. The Federal Government of Somalia is determined to fulfill its role in promoting peace and facilitating negotiations to end the conflict.
The Supreme Council of the SSC-Khaatumo State, traditionally known as the Garaads, has also welcomed the UN Security Council's recent statement on the escalating conflict in northern Somalia, particularly the troubled Sool region. Recognizing the weight of the declaration, the CouncilCouncil hailed it as a "significant step forward in securing peace in northern Somalia."
The SSC-Khaatumo Supreme Council also appeals to the Somaliland administration to fully abide by the UN Security Council's directives, especially those related to their forces' withdrawal from SSC territories. They underscore that implementing these instructions by the Somaliland administration is essential to achieving peace.
Last night, the United Nations Security Council expressed concern over the ongoing violence in Las Anod, located in the Sool region of northern Somalia. The conflict has resulted in numerous civilian casualties and displaced over 150,000 people.
The Council urgently called on all parties involved to reach a cease-fire agreement and encouraged inclusive dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution. The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia was also requested to provide further support.
The council members called for the immediate withdrawal of "Somaliland" security forces and called on all parties to exercise restraint and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement to violence and inflammatory rhetoric in order to de-escalate the situation on the ground, rebuild trust and to create the conditions for peace.
The longstanding conflict over Las Anod, which is geographically situated between Somaliland and Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in Somalia's northeast, has resulted in an ongoing battle. The CouncilCouncil expressed concern over the resulting large number of civilian casualties, estimated at 299 deaths, over 1,913 injured, and the displacement of more than 150,000 people.
A United Nations Panel of Experts on Somalia investigated potential violations of the longstanding arms embargo and breaches of international humanitarian law in the escalating conflict in Las Anod. Preliminary findings suggest weapons and ammunition may originate from various countries, raising additional concerns for regional stability and security.