By: Yusuf M Hasan
Somalilandsun – The president of the Somalia administrative region of Puntland Abdiweli Gaas absconded his official residence in Garowe and is said to sleep in a local hotel since Thursday evening.
Reports indicate that president Gaas and his senior officials decamped the Garowe mansion for a local hotel after Somaliland forces entered Taleeh town of Somaliland’s Sool region which is around 30 kms from Garowe.
The Somaliland army returned to Taleh town on Thursdays as deterrence to plans by Ali Khalif Galayd led secessionists to hold Khatumo III conference with the objective of selecting government officials and establishing a government for the mythical Khatumo state.
Following the early Thursday morning entry of Taleeh by commando units of the Somaliland army that saw Galayd who is not only the chief secessionists but an MP in the Somalia parliament escape barefooted to Ethiopia a skirmish between clan militias and the army ensued.
The brief skirmish ended with the militias losing six fully armed Puntland donated battlewagons and their crews that are in custody of Somaliland authorities, with the army incurring two deaths for the militias thirteen.
“We captured six battlewagons and their crews from clan militias in Taleeh who had attacked our positions” informed Colonel Mohamed Aden ‘Dabagale’ who is in charge of operations adding that the army lost two officers in the ambush that took place location between Qoriley and Saah De’er in Taleeh district on Friday.
The simultaneous army activities in the Hengalool district in eastern Sanaag region which was the proposed scene of a tribal meeting convened by President Gaas saw the meeting fail to take place after conveners flew from the incoming army that consisted of a commando unit with 13 technical war wagons.
The uneasy in the Puntland capital of Garowe and the bedbug sleep of president Gas occasioned by the army having established the two dry beachheads in Hengalool and Taleh intent on protecting the territorial integrity of Somaliland, saw Gas cry out to the international community for help.
Accordingly the IC in the guise of US, EU and Britain urged restraint and oppose the use of force,” read a the joint statement from British ambassador Neil Wigan, EU envoy Michele Cervone d’Urso and US envoy James McAnulty adding
“We call for the immediate withdrawal of armed forces from the disputed areas of Sool and Sanaag regions, and call on all actors to refrain from violence,”
Surprising the IC fully aware of the violations against Somaliland territory continues to call Sool and Eastern Sanaag regions of the country as disputed territories with the main irony being Britain which demarcated the boundaries appending its signature to the statement terming the two areas as disputed.
Meanwhile the army has received the full support for prolonged bases in Hengalool and Taleeh by government ministers, legislators and elders from the area who held a press conference in Hargeisa in which they revealed that actions by the national defence forces in the country’s east had the full blessing of the entire peace loving populace of Sool and Eastern Sanaag regions.
Terming continuous infringement on Somaliland territory by Puntland through self-seeking politicians from the areas the leaders who included defence minister Ahmed Adami, Eastern regions peace building minister Ali Mahmud Sandule, MP Suleiman Ali Koore, MP Abdulqadir Mohamed Hasan ‘Indoindo’ among others who said the permanent army dry beachheads in their areas will finally avail residents permanent peace and government services after decades of mayhem.
Addressing the issue of consistency insecurity in the east of the country prompted by Puntland expansionism defence minister Ahmed Adami said, “Eastern areas of Sanaag and Sool regions are integral parts and parcels of Somaliland which shall not waste time negotiating their status with any entity whatsoever”
on his part youthful Member of Somaliland parliament Ali Koore who revealed that his grandfather helped Britons demarcate the boundaries between British Somaliland and Italian Somalia said that the national army is acting accordingly and neither does it require permission from any quarters.
“During demarcation over a century and a half ago in which my grandfather was chief advisor it was decided that the Dulbahante clan lands should be in Somaliland and that is the way things are going to remain” said MP Koore
following its 1960 voluntary union with Italian Somalia to form the ill fated republic of Somalia, Somaliland a former British protectorate proceeded by a brutal civil war reclaimed its sovereignty in 1991 with its boundaries encompassing that established by Britain two centuries ago and including the now areas said to be disputed.
With the above poignant facts documented by the UN during the brief membership of Somaliland in 1960 is cause for worry among somalilanders who never fathom why Britain or the UN fails to face facts and bridle unionists from Somalia against claiming the areas.
Watch Army entry into Taleeh
