Somalia's transitional govt blames Somaliland for clashes
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:55 pm
MOGADISHU, Somalia Sep 20 (Garowe Online) - The breakaway region of Somaliland is responsible for sparking deadly battles that raged overnight Wednesday in parts of the northern Sool region, Somalia's information minister said today.
Madobe Nunow told reporters in Mogadishu that the Somaliland administration has lent only “deaf ears” to orders from the Somali government.
“Somaliland does not have the right to create regional borders,” Minister Nunow said, adding that the region's attempt to breakaway from the rest of Somalia is “not something possible.”
The Somali information minister said the transitional federal government will soon appoint a committee to establish regional borders within the country.
Heavy fighting erupted yesterday in the outskirts of the Sool provincial capital Las Anod, some 900km northwest of Mogadishu, between forces loyal to the rival administrations of Somaliland and Puntland. [ Full story]
Reports of casualties could not be ascertained, but there were many were wounded in the hours-long battle.
Somaliland and Puntland, who are competing for control of Sool and Sanaag regions, have stationed hundreds of troops across each other in the outskirts of Las Anod since 2002 and there have been numerous clashes since.
Information Minister Nunow said Puntland obeys the government's orders, but said the Somali government “believes that Somaliland always creates conflict in Sool region.”
He appealed for calm and asked that the rival troops be pulled apart immediately.
Observers said Minister Nunow's statements are the harshest since the transitional government came to power in late 2004. Government officials consider Somaliland as another region within Somalia and Somaliland clans are represented in the Somali parliament and Cabinet.
Madobe Nunow told reporters in Mogadishu that the Somaliland administration has lent only “deaf ears” to orders from the Somali government.
“Somaliland does not have the right to create regional borders,” Minister Nunow said, adding that the region's attempt to breakaway from the rest of Somalia is “not something possible.”
The Somali information minister said the transitional federal government will soon appoint a committee to establish regional borders within the country.
Heavy fighting erupted yesterday in the outskirts of the Sool provincial capital Las Anod, some 900km northwest of Mogadishu, between forces loyal to the rival administrations of Somaliland and Puntland. [ Full story]
Reports of casualties could not be ascertained, but there were many were wounded in the hours-long battle.
Somaliland and Puntland, who are competing for control of Sool and Sanaag regions, have stationed hundreds of troops across each other in the outskirts of Las Anod since 2002 and there have been numerous clashes since.
Information Minister Nunow said Puntland obeys the government's orders, but said the Somali government “believes that Somaliland always creates conflict in Sool region.”
He appealed for calm and asked that the rival troops be pulled apart immediately.
Observers said Minister Nunow's statements are the harshest since the transitional government came to power in late 2004. Government officials consider Somaliland as another region within Somalia and Somaliland clans are represented in the Somali parliament and Cabinet.
