By Horn Africa News
Lasanod – The newly appointed leader of Northeast Somalia, Abdulkadir Ahmed Aw Ali (commonly known as Firdhiye), delivered a powerful and emotional speech in the city of Lasanod following the formal establishment of the new regional administration.
In his address, Firdhiye directly challenged the Somaliland administration, whose seat of power is in Hargeisa, calling on its leadership to abandon the path of war and instead work toward peace. He emphasized that continued conflict will not bring any meaningful or lasting results.
“War will not yield any outcome worth celebrating. We must prioritize peace,” Firdhiye stated.
He reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to Somali unity, stressing that the people of the new administration will never accept any attempts to divide the country.
“National unity is sacred. If we stand where efforts are made to divide Somalia, no one can stop the consequences. But if the people stand for unity, then no one can tear it apart,” he declared.
Firdhiye further emphasized that the newly formed Northeast Somalia administration — composed of the Sool, Sanaag, and Togdheer regions — was established solely through the will and desire of the local population. He asserted that its core mission is to preserve the unity and territorial integrity of Somalia.
Issuing a stern warning to Somaliland, Firdhiye urged its leadership to reconsider their current course.
“To our brothers preparing for war, I say: peace brings prosperity. We’ve all seen the destruction of conflict. What you are aiming to achieve through force will not succeed,” he warned.
The creation of the Northeast Somalia administration is a direct result of a violent conflict that erupted in Lasanod, the capital of the Sool region, in late 2022. What began as peaceful protests against the assassinations of well-known community figures turned into a full-scale armed uprising in February 2023.
The confrontation involved Somaliland’s security forces and the local resistance movement known as SSC-Khaatumo — now officially recognized as Northeast Somalia. The new administration claims legitimacy based on the collective voice and aspirations of the people in the region, who seek to remain part of a united Somalia.
