2023 Las Anod conflict

2023 Las Anod conflict
Part of the Puntland–Somaliland dispute and the Somali Civil War
Situation Around the City of Las Anod , May 16th, 2023
Date 6 February 2023 – present (2 years, 11 months, 1 week and 4 days) Location Las Anod, Somaliland (disputed) Territorial changes Somaliland Armed Forces ousted from the city and many positions around it, leaving it Administered by the 33-Member SSC Consultative Council.
Belligerents
Somaliland Somaliland Army	Template:Country data Khatumo Dhulbahante militiamen Majeerteen militias Warsangali militias Puntland Security Force soldiers
Casualties and losses
~300 people dead 154,000-203,000 civilians displaced

The 2023 Las Anod conflict is an ongoing armed conflict between the Somaliland National Army and the SSC-Khatumo forces of the Dhulbahante in Las Anod, the capital of the Sool region. The Dhulbahante are receiving money, equipment and fighters from allied Darod-Harti clans in mainland Somalia - the Warsangali and Majeerteen. Fighting erupted on February 6 after Somaliland security forces held a violent crackdown on civil protests. On February 8, the supreme Garad of Dhulbahante, Garad Jama Garad Ali, declared an intent to secede and reunite with the Federal Government of Somalia.

The conflict has killed over 300 people and displaced 153,000–203,000 refugees. Citizens have been displaced en-masse externally to Buuhodle and the Ethiopian border, internally to SSC-Khatumo territories of Taleex, Xudun, Buuhodle, or to Puntland cities – most commonly Garowe, Galkacyo and Burtinle. On March 16, Somaliland troops were reported to be shelling civilians from the surrounding area. In late April, Amnesty International released a report accusing the Somaliland government forces of war crimes and human rights violations against civilians. las anod City was invaded by ex president farmaajo his group of terrorists and fahad yazin the garad jama garad Ali he is the leader of the invaded in Las anod the terrorist group of al Shabaab leader by Abdi madobe is the key of the war against the Republic of sland and they need to settle for the Las anod to attack the neighbor's countries such as Djibouti and Ethiopia sland forces defending their own country powders & City of Las anod including the sool region Republic of sland

Background

Las Anod at night, circa 2021

Las Anod had been controlled by Somaliland since 2007, who ousted the Puntland army from the regional capital in 2007 with local militia support. The clan militias supporting Somaliland were loyal to Ahmed Abdi Habsade, a Puntland minister who defected to Somaliland and then returned to Puntland. In particular, the security situation reported to have severely declined under Somaliland's control. The Raad Peace Research Institute in Mogadishu reported that "120 prominent clan and community leaders were assassinated" between 2007 and 2022 in the city proper.

In December 2022, civil demonstration and unrest began to spread northwest across the Sool region, from Taleex to Kalabaydh, Xudun, Boocame and Tukaraq, driven by perceived political marginalization in Somaliland. The protests were triggered by the death of Abdifatah Abdulli Hadrawi, a popular politician in the Waddani opposition party. When the mass civil demonstration reached Las Anod, Somaliland security forces held a violent crackdown on the protestors in the final week of December 2022 which killed 20 people. Following bilateral talks, Somaliland troops retreated from the city to their Sool outposts to prevent further violence.

Clashes

After mass protests continuing from December into January 2023, the retreat of the Somaliland troops paved the way for the return of the supreme Garad of Dhulbahante, Garad Jama Garad Ali – a community leader exiled from Las Anod since 2007. Rumor spread of a grand meeting of all Dhulbahante clan elders, followed by speculation that the elders would vote to exile Somaliland security forces from the city. On February 6, 2023, the Dhulbahante clan elders declared their intent to form a state government named "SSC-Khatumo" within the Federal Government of Somalia. Fighting broke out earlier on the same day in Las Anod between Somaliland troops and Dhulbahante militias in the Sayadka Hill suburb (reportedly home to two committee members), with shots heard in the streets surrounding Hamd Hotel where Somaliland dignitaries were staying.

On February 8, the supreme Garad of Dhulbahante, Garad Jama Garad Ali, accused the Somaliland government of genocide, called for peace and declared Las Anod's intent to be governed from Mogadishu under the Federal Government of Somalia. Within the same week of February, fighting and civilian bombardments had killed at least 82 people in total and displaced 90% of the residents. The region had produced 185,000 internally displaced people and 60,000 refugees in February. On March 2, the mayor of Las Anod reported that Somaliland forces were bombing public buildings from the surrounding countryside including government institutions and hospitals. The UN also reported a casualty count of over 200 deaths.

A number of Harti-Darod (including Warsangali & Majeerteen) clans have announced their support for the Las Anod unionist movement and sent armed militias to the city.

On April 20, Amnesty International released a report concluding a 2-month human rights investigation into the Las Anod conflict. The report called for urgent investigation into the conflict, including interviews from local citizens describing shrapnel and mortar shell deaths. The report also included photos of indiscriminate 107mm rocket shelling from Somaliland security forces – confirming use of weapons banned as part of the current UN Somali arms embargo.

Allegations of external actors

In the political fog of the conflict, both sides have alleged the presence of external actors in Las Anod. The Somaliland foreign ministry allege they are fighting foreign armed groups on the Las Anod side including the Somali National Army, Puntland Security Force, Liyu Police fighters,^{[citation needed]} Al-Shabaab fighters and southern Somali states.

All groups accused by Somaliland government have denied claims of organizational involvement:

• On February 9, the Al-Shabaab militant group made a press release rejecting the Somaliland administration's claims of involvement in the Las Anod war and accusing them of apostacy.
• On March 6, Puntland President Said Abdulllahi Dani denied Puntland involvement in the war and called for self-determination in the Sool region.
• On March 11, Somali Region President Mustafa "Cajgar" Omar denied DDS involvement in the Las Anod conflict.

The Dhulbahante clan accuse the Somaliland side of involving Djiboutian National Police officers and Chinese weaponry smuggled via Djibouti. The Djiboutian government denied these claims.

See also

• Battle of Tukaraq
• Battle of Las Anod
• 2010 Ayn Clashes