By: Yusuf M Hasan
LAS ANOD (Somalilandsun) – The national police commander has promised to strengthen police effectiveness in Sool region.
Gen Abdilahi Fadal who completed a two days fact finding mission of Sool Region police capabilities told a press briefing in Las anod town that he will embark on urgent strengthening of operational capabilities of the police force in Sool region.
Gen Fadal who accompanied by a delegation of senior police officers was in his first visit to the region and more specifically the regional capital of Las anod since he assumed office earlier this year praised the diligence of his officers in the region for continued service in the most turbulent region of the country.
The national police commander who inspected all the police stations in Las anod and a couple of other security outposts in the town’s peri-urban areas, promised to initiate his police force development plan in Sool region.
In his numerous visits, accompanied by his entourage of senior police headquarters officers who were supplemented by the Mayor of Las anod Mr. Keyse M Haji Hussein and the Sool regional police commander, the security boss had a firsthand taste of the working and living conditions of his underlings whom he has vested with the onerous task of maintaining peace and order.
Sool region has over the years been a near impossible posting for security officers who are forced to deal with life threatening missions on an hourly and daily basis, due to the constant threats against central government officials that emanate from anti-Somaliland elements under the pay of Puntland.
While sool region in general is a nightmare post for police officers, it’s capital city is porous with assassins who have over the years managed to assassinate a number of public officials, the most recent being the attempt on the life of the region’s deputy intelligence chief last Saturday.
The attempt on Mr. Arab Qawdan who was fortunate to escape unscathed after a suspected hand grenade was thrown to his home in Las anod town, ended with the death of Mr. Ahmed Khalif a custodial officer on a visit to the chief’s house. This was the second attempt on the life of the intelligence chief.
A fortnight ago the Sool regional deputy prosecutor died from grievous gunshot wounds that he sustained after masked gunmen attacked him within his home compound in the centre of the town. The assassins were captured after a fierce gun battle with police will be arraigned in court soon.
It is worth mentioning that Las anod gained notoriety following the assassination of the then Somali president Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke whose death precipitated, Dictator Siyad Barre’s assumption of power in the so called bloodless revolution of October 1969.
Police officers in the country and especially Las anod are said to have been injected with a new impetus for Law enforcement by their national commander’s visit to the law and order nightmare region and subsequent promises to strengthen operational capabilities that will commence in Sool.
Gen Fadal who returned to Hargeisa late Tuesday night, made his visit to Sool region when the Las anod police is said to be holding a number of Al-shabaab terrorists among them an operative of Portuguese origin.
Despite the crude security picture of the area recent successes by the national army that resulted in the rout of tribal militias, the disintegration of the Khatuumo secessionists and last week’s peace accord between President Silanyo and SSC militia commander Hagaltosie, the entire country is optimistic that Sool region will finally cease being a hostile area.
