HARGEISA, (HAN) — Somaliland authorities have confirmed the arrest of Lt. Colonel Hassan Iraqi, commander of Somalia’s elite Gorgor 18th Battalion.
The officer was detained in the border town of Tog-Wajaale after traveling from Jigjiga, the capital of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State.
Although Somaliland has not released an official explanation, the arrest has stirred debate and raised questions about political and trade relations between Somaliland and Ethiopia’s Somali Region.
According to sources, Somali Regional State President Mustafe M. Omer contacted Somaliland officials seeking the officer’s release, stressing that Col. Iraqi was lawfully present in Jigjiga. He also warned against disrupting the free movement of people and trade across the Tog-Wajaale border.
Separately, reports indicate that Somaliland President Abdirahman Ciro discussed the matter with security chiefs, but no breakthrough has yet been achieved.
The case has drawn significant public attention, with many awaiting official clarification on the reasons behind the detention and what steps may follow.
