In the town of Las Anod, where the main incident has taken place, the Director of the Main Town Hospital informed reporters that 96 people had died and over 560 had been wounded in the clashes.
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Garaad Jama Garaad Ali, a senior clan chief, said on Wednesday that 150 people were killed and 500 wounded.
ABOUT SOMALILAND
Somaliland is a self-declared state located in the Horn of Africa. It declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of the Somali central government. However, it has not been internationally recognized as an independent state and is still considered a part of Somalia by the international community.
Population of Somaliland is approximately 4 million with a majority of population being Muslim. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The official languages of Somaliland are Somali and Arabic.
The state has its own government, constitution, and flag and has held several democratic elections since its declaration of independence. The country has made significant progress in terms of stability and development, with a growing economy and improvements in infrastructure and services. However, it still faces challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and a lack of international recognition.
Riots broke out in the city of Las Anod on February 6. The town has a key trade route and is claimed by both Somaliland and the neighboring state of Puntland.
According to the United Nations,( UN) almost 1,85,000 people have been displaced in the recent riots.
The fighting had begun in Lasanod, where Civil groups and some religious leaders proclaimed that they would not recognize the Somaliland Government.
The government administration called these people “terrorists” and blamed them for creating violence.
Heavy fighting was still raging on Thursday, according to the region’s clan leaders and witnesses.
People lost their homes, and medical workers struggled to respond to the situation due to inadequate resources as they were all destroyed.
“Somaliland forces are carrying out heavy attacks on medical facilities and civilian homes. “The deaths and injuries of civilians cannot be counted,” said Mukhtar Abdi, a resident of Las Anod, the administrative center of the Sool region.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also told us in their statement that out of the displaced population, women and children accounted for as much as 89 percent.
During the fighting, the locals were forced to take shelter under trees or inside schools, which have been forcibly shut down.
Somaliland has its own currency, the Somaliland shilling, and its economy is largely based on agriculture, livestock, and remittances from Somalilanders living abroad. The country also has potential for oil and gas exploration, although this remains largely undeveloped.
Overall, Somaliland remains a unique case in international relations as a self-declared state that has achieved some degree of stability and development despite lacking international recognition.
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