Somaliland: While Mogadishu Burns, Somalia Seeks Chaos in Sool

Hargeisa, April 9, 2025 – (Somaliland.com) The Government of Somaliland Republic has issued a strong condemnation of the Somali Federal Government’s reported plans to dispatch Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre to Lasanod, characterizing the move as an attempt to provoke unrest in the Sool region while Mogadishu remains in deep crisis, gripped by militant threats and institutional failure.

Minister of Information, Culture and National Guidance, of Somaliland, Hon. Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayanle, warned that Somalia’s interference in Somaliland territory is not only illegal but also a dangerous distraction from the far more pressing issues unfolding in its own capital.

“While Al-Shabaab encircles Mogadishu and shells continue to hit civilian areas, the Somali leadership is focused on undermining the peace and stability of Somaliland,” said Minister Ayanle. “This is not statecraft; it is crisis mismanagement and a failed attempt to export chaos to distract from their internal collapse.”

Security experts have recently raised alarms over Al-Shabaab’s growing grip around the outskirts of Mogadishu, with multiple mortar attacks targeting strategic areas, including Aden Adde International Airport and the heavily guarded Halane compound. International observers have noted the limited capacity of the Somali Federal Government to respond effectively, with foreign troops still providing the bulk of the city’s security.

Despite this, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and his administration have reportedly signaled intentions to escalate involvement in Somaliland’s internal affairs, particularly in Sool, Sanaag, and Buuhoodle, under the guise of electoral planning or political outreach.

“Somaliland will not permit the federal government of Somalia—whose own capital is on the brink—to violate our sovereignty. It is unacceptable for a government that cannot secure its own institutions or protect its own citizens to attempt to destabilize others,” the Minister stated.

Minister Ayanle also criticized Villa Somalia’s failure to engage with real governance challenges, accusing it of ignoring deteriorating conditions in Somalia’s federal member states, such as Puntland and Jubbaland, where relations with the capital breakdown continue to threaten weak federal system.

“The Somali leadership should be focused on restoring order in Mogadishu and ending the daily bloodshed, not looking for new fires to ignite in Lasanod,” he added.

Somaliland reiterated its commitment to dialogue with its own citizens in the Sool region, emphasizing shared identity, culture, and heritage. The government expressed its readiness to address local grievances through peaceful means but stressed it would never tolerate external manipulation or armed provocations orchestrated from Mogadishu.

“The Republic of Somaliland is a sovereign nation. We will protect our borders, our people, and our peace with both wisdom and strength,” the Minister concluded.