Saturday April 5, 2025
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre is expected to make a historic visit to Las Anod, marking the first trip by a sitting Somali leader to the city in over 50 years. The visit signals renewed federal engagement following the formation of the SSC Khaatumo interim administration.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre is expected to make a historic visit to Las Anod in the coming days. Local officials confirmed Saturday that the visit marks the first time in more than five decades that a sitting Somali prime minister has travelled to the city.
The visit, though not formally scheduled, has been strongly anticipated. Posters bearing the prime minister’s image have already been plastered across major roads in Las Anod, the capital of the Sool region.
“We are ready to receive Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, who is expected to arrive in Las Anod soon,” said General Abdi Hassan Mohamed Hijaar, the interim Minister of Justice, Religious Affairs, and Endowments for the SSC Khaatumo administration.
Hijaar said security preparations are in place and emphasized that the region remains one of the most stable in Somalia.
“Compared to other federal member states, SSC Khaatumo enjoys the highest level of security,” he said. “The public is eagerly awaiting the Prime Minister’s arrival.”
Las Anod has been at the heart of a long-running dispute between Somaliland authorities and pro-unity factions allied with the federal government. The city, predominantly inhabited by the Dhulbahante clan, was administered by Puntland until 2007 when Somaliland forces took control. Tensions flared again in early 2023 following the killing of a local official, sparking mass protests and deadly clashes with Somaliland troops—leading to calls for full integration with Mogadishu and the formation of the SSC Khaatumo interim administration.
A visit by Prime Minister Barre would signal federal endorsement of the administration and could shift political dynamics in the northern region, which has historically been contested.
No official date for the visit has been announced.
