Thursday June 15, 2023
Garowe (HOL) - Puntland regional state President, Said
Abdullahi Deni, and Vice President Ahmed Elmi Osman Karash, welcomed former
Somaliland House of Representative, Abdirisaq Khalif Ahmed, to Garowe on
Thursday.
Khalif resigned from his roles as the Speaker of the
Somaliland Parliament, a member of the House, and a member of the Wadani party
due to the prolonged conflict in Las Anod. He accused the Somaliland government
of killing innocent people and destroying Las Anod.
During the meeting between Puntland leaders and Khalif, they
discussed the conflict situation and how to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the
displaced people on the outskirts of the town.
Before Speaker Ahmed's resignation, his move to Las Anod and
the subsequent criticisms he levelled against Somaliland had already raised
concerns. Faysal Ali Warabe, the chairman of the opposition party UCID in
Somaliland, argued that Ahmed had effectively left Somaliland when he expressed
support for the 33-member SSC elders' committee and accused Somaliland of atrocities
in Las Anod.
Earlier this week, the United Nations Security Council
expressed concerns about the persistent violence in Las Anod, located in the
Sool region of northern Somalia. This ongoing conflict has resulted in a
significant number of civilian casualties and has displaced over 150,000
people.Somaliland said it was worried the UNSC was "misinformed about the
facts on the ground" and appealed for support and understanding from the
world body.
Meanwhile, President Deni, speaking at the opening of the
52nd session of the Puntland parliament on Thursday, expressed concerns about
the security and political situation in the Gedo region of the Jubbaland
administration.
"We are sorry for the growing concern in the Gedo
region. It is unfortunate that the government is oppressing the Gedo region,
the current leaders are doing what they have already refused from the previous
government of Somalia," said Deni.
Deni called for complete reconciliation in Jubaland to fully
resolve the tensions in the Gedo region.
Tensions in the Gedo region renewed a few days ago after the
Governor of the Gedo region, Ahmed Buule Garad, strongly objected to the newly
appointed administration by Jubbaland President Ahmed Madobe.
Federal lawmakers from Jubbaland state have also expressed
their opposition to the new Gedo region administration. These parliamentarians
view the appointment as detrimental and further alienating the people of Gedo
and Jubbaland.