Monday April 7, 2025
Hargeisa (HOL) — Somaliland’s Parliament has strongly condemned the planned visit by Somali Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre to Las Anod, the administrative capital of the SSC-Khatumo administration, which Somaliland claims as part of its territory.
The condemnation came during the opening session of Somaliland’s Parliament on Monday, following a legislative recess. Lawmakers asserted that Las Anod remains under the jurisdiction of Somaliland and described the Prime Minister’s planned trip as an unacceptable violation of Somaliland’s sovereignty.
“The Republic of Somaliland and the Federal Republic of Somalia are two separate, independent countries. What do we have in common? Nothing,” said Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ali Hamud Jibriil. “We are defending our country, and our parliament has convened to address this issue.”
Other parliamentarians repeated similar concerns, calling the planned visit a provocative move that could escalate regional political and security tensions.
The SSC-Khaatumo administration, which took control of Las Anod in 2023 following a popular uprising against Somaliland authorities, welcomed the planned visit. SSC-Khaatumo officials described it as a show of federal support and a step toward bringing the Sool, Sanaag, and Ayn regions under the full authority of the Federal Government of Somalia.
Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Moallim Fiqi defended the visit, calling it significant for affirming Somalia’s territorial integrity.
Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre is expected to visit Las Anod in the coming days. In remarks this week, he emphasized that the purpose of the trip is to strengthen cooperation between the federal government and SSC-Khaatumo and to promote national unity.
The visit comes amid long-standing disputes over the status of the SSC-Khaatumo regions, with both Puntland and Somaliland laying claim to the territory. SSC-Khaatumo leaders, however, have declared their intention to operate as a federal member state, working directly with the government in Mogadishu.
