Wednesday February 1, 2023
Las Anod (HOL) - The supreme traditional clan chief of the Sool, Sanaag, and Ayn regions, Garad Jama Garad Ali, declared that there were no terrorists in the Sool region and accused the Somaliland army of terrorism.
Responding to Somaliland President Muse Bihi, Garad Ali said in Las Anod on Tuesday that the people meeting in the city were not terrorists and that the President's speech inflamed tensions.
"We are sorry for that statement and emphasize that there is no terrorism in Sool; the SSC members are discussing their future, which is not terrorism. His remarks exacerbate the problems that Muse and his administration have created for Las Anod residents, "Garad Ali stated.
Garad Jama Garad Ali described the Somaliland forces as terrorists and stated that there are no other terrorists in the region besides the Somaliland forces. He also said President Muse Bihi would be responsible for the fallout from his rhetoric.
The clan chief urged the international community not to support the Somaliland army, noting that previous international support for Somaliland had harmed the people in the SSC regions.
On Monday, Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi reiterated that the Somaliland army would not leave the Sool region, expressing hope that the ongoing meeting in Las Anod would lead to positive results.
The President blamed the problems in Las Anod on an unnamed terrorist group and urged the people of the Sool region to work for peace, emphasizing that "The Somaliland army is protecting its country from the enemy."