Somaliland President issues Stern warning to Somalia’s Puntland state, Applauds Emergence of Civil defense forces

In the wake of persistent tensions stemming from the Lasanod conflict, President Muse Bihi of Somaliland has reaffirmed his concerns regarding Somalia’s Puntland state. He has accused Puntland of deliberately fomenting discord in Somaliland by leveraging clan affiliations with LasAnod residents.

Speaking at the Somaliland Economy Forum in Hargeisa on Saturday, President Bihi emphasized that Somaliland faces numerous adversaries, singling out Puntland. He called upon the people to stand united against these threats orchestrated by their adversaries.

President Bihi also publicly endorsed the emergence of civil defense forces in the eastern regions of the country. He described these forces as crucial for defending their territories against foreign aggression and urged the public to support them wholeheartedly.

The territorial dispute between Somaliland and Somalia’s Puntland state, centered around Lasanod city, has been a longstanding issue. Puntland asserts a clan affiliation with Lasanod residents, claiming the city falls within its regional jurisdiction. Somaliland, however, maintains that Lasanod falls under its historical British Somaliland protectorate and has called on its neighboring country to uphold international borders since Somaliland withdrew from unity with Somalia in 1991.