Read below the full address of the National Army Operations Commander Brig General A.A. Hassan (Abdideere) to the press on 14th February 2023
The Operations Commander of the National Army, Brigadier General Abdirahman Hassan (Abdideere) said that the National Army has the full power to defend itself or to fight, but it still has sense of compassion.
The commander who held a press conference in the city of Hargeisa spoke about the situation in the city of Lasanood and the fight between the terrorist groups with misled emotional-charged youths of Lasanood against the National Army.
He said that, “The Puntland army is part of the Lasaanod war by proxy, behind the scenes while quite ware that their troops and military support have reached the Sool region”.
The commander of operations said that the national army is capable of carrying out and executing a well-planned war in the capital city of Sool region, Lasanod, but until now they are sparing the city and its inhabitants, avoiding collateral damages.
“The national army is an established army that is ready for ordinary and extraordinary wars, but it has a sense of compassion for the people and their property in the city”, he said.
He called on the intellectuals, and the elders of Lasanood who were eager to discuss the issue of security, though it is now clear that they have lost control of the situation, and Al Shabaab has taken over the youth and the people who they led.
He revealed, “It is a fact that al-Shabaab destroys houses in the city of Lasaanod and blames the national army, with the aim of subverting the implementation of peace in Lasaanod. We need the people of Lasanood to know that those destroying their houses, and who are against peaceful stability, are Al-Shabaab, who are taking advantage of the opportunity they got from the skirmishes in Lasanood”.
The national army has always been carrying out the orders issued by the government of the Republic of Somaliland as the declared ceasefire, yet the national army is facing aggression against the militias fighting in Lasanood, led by al-Shabaab, he said.
He told the Somaliland community that the national army has full power to defend itself or to fight, but has a sense of compassion.
“To the people who love their army, and encourage it every day, we confirm to them that the national army carries out the orders issued by the government of Somaliland, and stands for the defense of the Somaliland nation”, said the commander.
He said to the Somaliland community not to get wary that the war in the city is different from other wars, or become tense every time someone is shot, “but the national army is resilient, whatever pressure is put on it, and are caring to their citizens and their property not to be destroyed”.
“The National Army is ready now and in the future to defend itself against anyone who attacks, and teach them a hard lesson, by fighting with one hand and carrying peace with the other, and let the public know this”, he said.
The commander of the operation, Brigadier General Abdirahman, told the intellectuals, the elderly and the peace-loving elders of the Sool region who are for peaceful stability in this matter, “the national army is ready, always carrying out the orders issued by his government”.
Commander added, “We are closely monitoring Puntland administration’s hidden hand in Sool region, but the national army inform them that there has never been a major war between them, but it seems that you are pushing for a catastrophic war, and our national army are ready to defend this country day and night”.
“We always love peace, and do not prefer war, and if we are attacked, we have great experience in how to respond”, he ended.