Tuesday July 8, 2025
Hargeisa (HOL) — Somaliland government on Monday strongly
condemned what it described as the deployment of federal Somali troops to parts
of the Sanaag region, warning of potential consequences and holding President
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud personally accountable.
Speaking at a press conference in Hargeisa, Somaliland’s
Minister of Information, Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayaanle, accused the federal
government of overstepping its mandate by allegedly intervening in a region
that Somaliland claims as part of its sovereign territory.
“We warn him not to interfere in matters outside his
authority,” Minister Ayaanle said. “Somaliland has its own borders, and we will
defend them.”
He urged the Somali federal government to focus instead on
stabilizing areas under threat from al-Shabab militants, including Moqokori
district in Hiiraan, which was recently attacked by the extremist group.
Minister Ayaanle further claimed that Somali federal troops
staged a protest on Sunday over unpaid wages, accusing the government in
Mogadishu of misusing international aid intended for stabilization efforts. He
alleged that such funds were being diverted to provoke unrest in peaceful areas
like Sanaag.
“The peace and mutual respect that the people of the Sanaag
region have long enjoyed will be preserved,” Ayaanle added. “We have no space
for Hassan Sheikh in our territories.”
The Somaliland government said it remains committed to
maintaining order and has continued efforts to promote peace and unity among
communities in the contested region.
Meanwhile, reports from opposition politicians allege that
Somali federal troops were deployed to Sanaag, though there has been no
independent verification of these claims.
Tensions in the region have escalated following the Somali
federal government’s recognition of SSC-Khaatumo as a federal member state
earlier this year. Last week, Somalia’s Ministry of Interior and Reconciliation
Affairs appointed an eight-member technical committee to oversee the formation
of SSC-Khaatumo’s interim administration.
