Monday April 21, 2025

Las Anod (HOL) — An Ethiopian consular official stationed in Puntland was found dead in Las Anod on Saturday night, in a killing that has raised fresh concerns over security and accountability in the Sool region.

Farah Aydiid Jama, widely known as Bariiis, was reportedly abducted from his residence in Las Anod and later found tortured and executed in the Goja Adde Valley on the outskirts of the city. He was a security expert working with the Ethiopian Consulate in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, and was known for coordinating assistance to Ethiopian migrants in the region.

As of Sunday morning, neither the SSC-Khaatumo administration, the Puntland government, nor the Ethiopian Consulate had issued official statements regarding the killing.

The circumstances surrounding the murder remain unclear, though early reports suggest that the official was specifically targeted. Residents say the body showed signs of torture, indicating a deliberate and possibly politically motivated killing.

Las Anod has a grim history of targeted assassinations, especially during the period it was under Somaliland’s administration. A wave of killings, mostly targeting local officials—many of them from the Sool region—triggered widespread unrest that culminated in a mass uprising in early 2023. The unrest ultimately led to Somaliland forces being pushed out of the city and the establishment of the SSC-Khaatumo administration.

The question of who was behind those past assassinations remains contentious.

Authorities have not announced any arrests or suspects, and an investigation has yet to be launched.