The government has once again announced that Tuesday 21 February 2023, morning the national armed forces fended off an attack by the fighting groups in the city of Lasaanood, and that they (the government) are still steadfast in enforcing the ceasefire it announced earlier.
A press release issued by the Ministry of Interior noted that the ceasefire declaration was repeatedly being flouted and the national army was only in self-defense.
It read, “Owing to the ceasefire unilaterally declared by the Government of the Republic of Somaliland and also in support of the Peace Mission in Sool Region, that entails the Somaliland Traditional Leaders as emissaries with good hope that a fruitful conclusion of the quagmire may be reached, the adversary fighting groups waged a major attack this morning in an effort of undermining stability but were repulsed by the military”.
The government accused the fighting groups of obstructing the ceasefire and added in its statement, “In order to prevent the implementation of peace and ceasefire, this morning (yesterday) armed groups launched a large-scale attack on the positions of the National Forces of the Republic of Somaliland in Lasaanood whereby the National Army defended itself against the attack”.
It continued, “The National Army of the Republic of Somaliland, while implementing the ceasefire announced by the Government, is in self-defense and constantly under attack; the National Army is never on the offensive”.
It concluded, “The government of the Republic of Somaliland reiterates the imperative need to heed and uphold the ceasefire declaration and meeting the Traditional Leaders Peace emissaries”.