As he declares further devastation all out war against the Republic of Somaliland
The President of Puntland has publicly admitted the invasion of Lasanood and that he is inciting a war
The President of Somalia’s regional administration of Puntland Syed Abdullahi Deni has at last come out in the open and unashamedly admitted to the fact that his forces are part and parcel of the invasion of Las Anod.
The area has been in a state of conflict for the last few months in protracted skirmishes led by the local traditional leaders, the Garaads hence backed by several armed tribal armed groups, and now as acknowledged by Deni, his army.
It is worth noting that the government of the Republic of Somaliland had been repeatedly been vocal on the issue by time and again telling the world that the invasion had large contingents of Puntland militia at the centre, terrorist groups and emotionally whipped and misguided local youth.
They were not mere or flimsy charges, but as it has come to pass and acknowledged by non-other than the Puntland president himself, it has been indeed a sound, solid, tangible and really factual accusations.
While addressing a large political campaign gathering of his party’s supporters in Galkayo on Tuesday President Deni resorted to blatant foreign coercion and invasion by advertently insinuating that that Las Anod was their territory and needed to be captured.
As if that is not grossly serious enough, he called upon the Puntland populaces to take up arms and wage a war to capture Las Anod city before the 25th of May, the capital of Sool which is legally a region of the Republic of Somaliland.
He unashamedly gave a timeline.
It is worth noting that when at the beginning of the year in January Hadrawi Sangub was slain in Las Anod, angered residents took to the streets and skirmishes that follows lives.
As the security arms attempted to quell the matter the government decided that they withdraw from the city such that emotion may subside.
It is thereafter that the Puntland administration, as now confirmed by them, their militia, armed terrorists, and misled youth who were emotionally charged invaded the city in the name of tribal whims.
While the Somaliland government was aware of the move hence monitored the issues closely the combatants attacked the national army repeatedly ever since while it had withdrawn to their bases following unilateral ceasefire the state declared to avoid collateral damages.
The gist of the matter is that whereas the government of Somaliland has come out clean on the quagmire and has repeatedly informed all the concerned international stakeholders on the real issues on the ground and that at stake, still nothing tangible has come out of it.
This includes the leaves of peaceful stability it repeatedly lent for the initiation of dialogues.
Deni brought to light everything that was happening in the conflict in Las Anod has been at their instigation, support, sustenance and is now whipping tribal emotions by beating up drums of war for a major war that he has just convictionally declared.
He said as he addressed the Galkayo political public meeting, “On Las Anod we are now (declaring) open to our enemies that we will defend it against them”.
He was foolishly insinuating that that Las Anod was within their territory and that their enemy is Somaliland in his latest trumpeting of fuelling further more devastating conflicts.
He continued, “We shall not take to President Muse Bihi’s speech in the Parliament of Somaliland, we will do anything to defend our lands, people and self-esteem”.
Deni was pointing at H.E. President Musa Bihi’s Annual State of the Nation Address whose essence was safeguarding the national territorial borders as per internationally demarcated margins, rights and integrity hence not allow it to be dismembered on tribal whims.
Deni then ordered his people by saying, “oh people, I am ordering the people of Puntland to liberate Las Anod before the 25th of this month (May)”.
The new height that Deni has further worsened the already precarious Las Anod issue calls for more consternation from all concerned quarters.
His statement ends the supposition that the Somaliland National Army and the local people are fighting against each other and that it is a local clash.
This announcement is also the beginning of a wave of more bloodshed in Lasanod given his war “liberation” declaration and the given timeline of a fortnight away.
To make it even worse Deni poked fingers and put in bad light the leaders and the countries that are neighbours in this part of the continent.
It is justifiably right for Somaliland to defend, counter and rid itself of such invasions as is incumbent upon any country in the world.
Somaliland is able, capable and has the capacity to defend itself and expel the invaders. And of course is ready for any eventualities.
However, in the meantime, it is deemed fit to say that the more onerous task and answer lies in the countries of the Horn of Africa and the international community who have tried their best to put an end to the conflict; especially now that it has been revealed by the hidden main puppeteers who ignited, instigated, fuelling and sustaining the conflict- it is non other than the Puntland president Deni himself and his administration.