Hiiraan Online

Las Anod (HOL) - The United States has expressed growing concern over the ongoing violence in Las Anod, Somaliland, and is urging parties involved to de-escalate the situation, adhere to the agreed ceasefire, and resume dialogue toward a peaceful resolution. The US State Department calls on Somaliland to pull back its security forces and urges militias in Las Anod to halt offensive actions against them. This comes after recent reports of over 1,500 injuries since February 6 due to Somaliland's attacks on Las Anod, the heart of the movement to reunify the Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn (SSC) with Somalia.

US Ambassador to Somalia, Larry André, met with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, urging him to "create distance" between the clashing forces and announce a roadmap for future elections. This followed Somaliland's announcement of offensive attacks against the SSC Khatumo forces in Las Anod, which coincided with President Bihi's visit to the military headquarters in Hargeisa. Ceasefire efforts have been ongoing, with traditional elders in Las Anod accepting a ceasefire request to find a peaceful solution to the three-month-old conflict.

The US State Department also expressed concern over the delay of Somaliland's presidential elections, initially scheduled for November 2022. They urge Somaliland authorities to establish a clear timeline and complete the polls as soon as possible. The US is prepared to restrict visa issuance to current or former Somali officials or individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining the democratic process in Somalia, including Somaliland, under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Somaliland, a self-proclaimed republic with no international recognition, is facing a crisis as the unionist movement for reunification with Somalia spreads across SSC, which is roughly a third of what Somaliland regards as its territory. Protests calling for reunification began in Las Anod in December 2022 and led to a declaration in February 2023 that declared the presence of the Somaliland administration illegal. Somaliland has been shelling the city ever since, causing significant casualties and damage to infrastructure, including hospitals.