Thursday, June 26, 2025 — HAN News
Mogadishu — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has publicly acknowledged the abuses committed by Somalia’s former military regime in Somaliland during the late 1980s, calling them a grave mistake by the state.
Speaking at a ceremony marking June 26—the anniversary of the first Somali territory to gain independence, the northern regions (present-day Somaliland) in 1960—President Mohamud highlighted his commitment to strengthening national unity and healing historical wounds.
“What happened to our northern brothers was a mistake committed by a Somali government. It was a failure of the state, not the people,” said President Mohamud.
He added that the suffering inflicted on the people of Somaliland was the result of a powerful government that misused the trust and resources given to it by the Somali people.
“A strong Somali state, one that had been built with the intellect and wealth of its people, tragically used that power against its own citizens. That was wrong,” he stated.
Despite the historical grievances, President Mohamud said that there is no animosity between the people of southern Somalia and Somaliland, underlining a shared desire for reconciliation and unity.
The June 26 anniversary, marking the day in 1960 when the British Somaliland Protectorate gained independence, was commemorated in Mogadishu, Hargeisa, and Las Anod—cities that, despite political tensions and a lack of administrative consensus, are witnessing renewed calls for dialogue and cooperation.
