Sunday, June 29, 2025 — HAN
Las Anod, Somalia — The political landscape of the SSC-Khaatumo administration is undergoing major changes as Abdirisak Khalif has officially announced his candidacy for the region’s leadership, challenging the current leader, Abdulkadir Aw Ali, widely known as Firdhiye.
The announcement coincided with a statement from Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Interior, led by Ali Yusuf Hoosh, confirming the finalization of SSC-Khaatumo’s administrative structure — a move considered a key step in formalizing governance in the region.
Mr. Khalif, who previously held a senior position in the breakaway Somaliland administration, defected during the Las Anod conflict that erupted in early 2023.
Several months into the fighting, SSC-Khaatumo forces took effective control of the region. SSC-Khaatumo was re-established on February 6, 2023, following mass civil unrest in Las Anod, and was later recognized as an interim administration by the Federal Government of Somalia on October 19, 2023.
