Sunday April 9, 2023
Las Anod (HOL) - The deputy commissioner of Hudun district, Abdinasir Abdikhadir, announced his defection to the SCC-Khatuma forces on Saturday, becoming the second official from Somaliland to a defect in the previous week.
Reports indicate that the deputy mayor defected with a car that the Somaliland government had given him. However, he recorded a video of himself with other armed men in the car, claiming that the SSC forces had apprehended him.
"I don't know where the men of Abdalle came from, but they seized me. They removed me from the car while I was travelling between the Yagoori and Gumays neighbourhoods. I have no idea where they came from," Abdiqadir laughed.
Abdiqadir had previously been a strong opponent of the SSC and had reported to media outlets in Somaliland from various locations. He had even appeared in army uniform at the front lines of the Somaliland forces in the Sool region, expressing his opposition to the SSC.
Last week, the deputy mayor participated in distributing food supplies to conflict-displaced people in the Gumays area.
Since the war began, several high-ranking Somaliland officials, including politicians, government officials, and military officers, have defected to the SSC.
On Friday, Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Deeq Mahumed Abdi, the commander of the 95th Brigade of the Somaliland Army based in Buhoodle and Arowayn, announced his defection to the SSC forces.
The Lieutenant Colonel explained that his resignation came after witnessing abuses perpetrated by Somaliland forces on the people of his region, and he intends to defend his people.