By Horn Africa News
Hargeisaw – Somaliland has reiterated its claim over Lasanod and much of the Sool region, which is currently administered by the newly established SSC-Khaatumo authority, known locally as the Northeast Administration.
The president of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, also known as Irro announced that Somaliland would move to reassert control over its “territorial borders,” including Lasanod and surrounding areas now under the new administration.
“Somaliland will secure its borders. To the people of Lasanod, I say: Hargeisa is closer to you than Mogadishu. You share ownership with Hargeisa,” Irro declared during a tour of eastern Somaliland.
The president emphasized that plans are underway to restore territories currently outside Somaliland’s administration, including Lasanod—a move that could reignite clashes between Somaliland forces and SSC-Khaatumo.
“The people of Sool and the East are Somalilanders. We say Sool cannot be separated from Somaliland. At the right time, Somaliland will safeguard its peace and its borders,” Irro stated.
Although he stressed that Somaliland has no intention of launching aggression, Irro insisted his government would defend its land and citizens “at any cost.”
He also extended an olive branch to neighboring Sanaag communities, calling for reconciliation talks. “We invited the people of Sanaag to a peace dialogue, and they responded positively. God willing, the peace conference will be held soon to consolidate stability in the country,” he added.
Somaliland has strongly rejected the legitimacy of the new SSC-Khaatumo administration in Lasanod and previously urged the international community to monitor developments in Sool and Sanaag, accusing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of fueling fresh conflict in the contested regions.
