Saturday April 12, 2025
Las Anod (HOL) — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre arrived in Las Anod on Saturday, marking a historic visit to strengthen ties between the Federal Government of Somalia and the SSC-Khaatumo interim administration.
The Prime Minister and his delegation were welcomed at the Las Anod airport by SSC-Khaatumo leader Abdikadir Ahmed Aw-Ali, senior officials, and a large crowd of residents. The visit marks the first time a sitting Somali Prime Minister has visited the Sool regional capital in over 50 years.
During his visit, Prime Minister Barre is expected to meet with a cross-section of the local community, including traditional elders, youth, women’s groups, and officials from the SSC-Khaatumo administration. Discussions will focus on peace, advancing development initiatives, and enhancing collaboration between local and federal government authorities.
Officials say the Prime Minister will inaugurate several development projects funded by the federal government and unveil new initiatives to improve infrastructure, education, and service delivery across the Sool region.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions with Somaliland, which continues to claim Las Anod as part of its territory. In response to threats from Hargeisa, the SSC-Khaatumo administration reaffirmed its control over the city and pledged to provide full security for the Prime Minister’s visit.
Las Anod has been at the center of a long-standing territorial dispute involving Somaliland, Puntland, and the locally-led SSC-Khaatumo movement. SSC-Khaatumo has rejected the authority of both Hargeisa and Garowe, opting instead to align with the federal government in Mogadishu.
Conflict erupted in Las Anod in early 2023 following the assassination of a local official, triggering widespread protests and violent clashes. More than 300 people were killed and over 150,000 displaced before Somaliland troops withdrew from the city later that year.