The Somaliland army and militias associated with the Dhulbahante people have been fighting for control of Las Anod, capital of Somaliland’s Sool region, since February. Against this backdrop, a Somaliland opposition member from the Dhulbahante was assassinated on 26 December 2022 in Las Anod, setting in motion the events that led to the fighting. But while Somaliland had offered to reposition its forces 30km outside Las Anod, it says it will not withdraw from all the territory where the Dhulbahante live. In recent weeks, both Somaliland security officials and Dhulbahante elders have said they are determined to go on the offensive. In addition to the alarming prospect of further urban warfare in Las Anod, clashes may spread to other Dhulbahante areas in Sool.

Source: Ethiopian News May 20, 2023 04:19 UTC