Thursday March 2, 2023
Las Anod (HOL) - Somaliland military spokesman Brigadier General Abdi Abdillahi Hassan Abdi Dheere claimed victory over SSC-Khatumo forces on Tuesday after intense fighting on the outskirts of Las Anod. According to the spokesman, Somaliland was fighting against Puntland forces, terrorists, and local people.
Abdi Dheere stated, "That was a difficult and bitter battle. It lasted a long time on Tuesday. As usual, the Somaliland National Army emerged victorious. We seized two military vehicles." He also clarified that his army does not attack and only defends itself against those who attack them.
Abdi Dheere labelled the Sool community as the enemy and urged them to turn away from those who misled them.
HOL could not independently verify Abdi Dheere's claim of victory.
During the upsurge of violence on Tuesday, at least one person was killed, and several were injured when the main hospital in the disputed town of Las Anod came under mortar fire. Dr. Ahmed Abdi reported that four shells struck the hospital, and some of the eight people wounded were in critical condition.
Two of the hospital's three ambulances were destroyed, and among the wounded were patients recovering from earlier fighting that had killed dozens of people. The hospital also faces a shortage of drugs, according to the doctor.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Country Representative for Somalia and Somaliland, Djoen Besselink, expressed grave concern over the indiscriminate fighting that has been ongoing in Las Anod for the past three weeks. In a statement released on Wednesday, Besselink revealed that the hospital MSF supports in Las Anod was hit for the fourth time during the conflict on February 28th.
The attack caused partial damage to the hospital structure and halted activities in the pediatrics ward and blood bank. Besselink emphasized that hospitals and medical facilities should be a safe haven for all and condemned the extreme level of violence. He stated that MSF is committed to providing medical support on both sides of the conflict.
Although Somaliland's military has reportedly been pushed back from Las Anod, the conflict has not dissipated, and battles have recently occurred in areas far from the town. In response, the commander of the army's 12th brigade, Faisal Abdi Butaan, stated they would regain control of Las Anod town for Somaliland.
Security analysts expect the fighting to continue into late March. In late February, Somaliland accused neighbouring Puntland of providing military support to local militias. Somaliland President Muse Bihi also announced to dispatch of clan elders to end the violence in late February. However, leaders of Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn (SSC) regions rejected the call demanding government forces to pull out their troops as a precondition for negotiations. As of March 1, at least 112 people were reported killed, and hundreds were injured.