As the Garowe dispatched troops lose heavily in skirmishes with Sanaag region based Somaliland Army Units
By: Yusuf M Hasan
Somalilandsun- Voter registration in the Somaliland eastern region of Sanaag is proceeding as planned despite threats to the contrary by Puntland, an administrative region of Somalia.
The threats by the Garowe based regional administration which we not empty talk ended I. Disaster after its forces were annihilated by the Somaliland army in Bod’ade village in the east of Sanaag.
The skirmishes in which the Puntlan forces lost heavily ensued following an invasion from Garowe with intent to disrupt voter registration not only in Bod’ade village but entire areas of east Sanaag.
According to a statement released by the chief of General staff, General Ismail Shagale the invading troops from puntland have already been evicted from within Somaliland boundaries after they incurred heavy loses in Bod’ade.
“While it is the policy of the government of Somaliland to pursue friendly relations with neighboring countries, the national army shall not allow armed or unarmed foreign troops anywhere within the countries borders” Said General Shagale at a press briefing in Hargeisa where he also revealed that voter registration all over Somalilamd shall proceed as per plans by the national election commission-NEC
Since Saturday Last NEC has been registering voters in Sanaag region in prelude to Somaliland presidential and parliamentary elections slated for March 2017, with the ongoing exercise being a follow-up of similar ones already complete in Maroodi-jeeh, Sahil, Awdal and Toghdeer regions.
For the east of Sanaag this shall be the first for residents to not only register as voters but to actually participate in electing their representatives following reconciliation between the government and formerly hostile Warsengeli clansmen.
Puntland neighboring Somaliland to the east lays claim to the Somaliland areas of eastern Sanaag and Entire Sool region in lieu of the fact that the predominating clans in those areas , Warsengeli and Dhulbahante respectively are members of the wider Harti clan same as the majority Majeertenis who dominate power in Garowe.
For most Somalilanders the TAIL between LEGS escape of Puntland troops from Somaliland territory is proof that the Garowe administration needs muscles and mighty to held them realize that clan affiliation is not related to territorial jurisdiction.
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