Thursday April 17, 2025

Somali detainees, previously held in Las Anod during the conflict between SSC-Khaatumo and Somaliland forces, board a flight to Mogadishu following their release on April 15, 2025. The handover, facilitated by SSC-Khaatumo and framed as a humanitarian gesture, has drawn sharp criticism from Somaliland authorities. Right: Somaliland’s Minister of Justice, Yonis Ahmed Yonis, condemned the transfer as a violation of international law and called for the detainees to be handed over to the ICRC. 

Mogadishu (HOL) — The Somaliland government is calling on Somalia to immediately transfer 25 detainees taken from Las Anod to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), accusing federal authorities of violating international humanitarian law and exploiting the prisoners for political purposes.

In a statement released Wednesday, Somaliland’s Ministry of Justice described the transfer of the prisoners to Mogadishu as an “unlawful abduction” and a breach of the Third Geneva Convention (1949). The ministry specifically cited Articles 12 and 118, which prohibit the use of prisoners of war for coercion or political pressure.

“The detainees were taken against their will, forced to bear the Somali flag, and paraded for political purposes,” said Yonis Ahmed Yonis, Somaliland’s Minister of Justice. “We urge Somalia to hand them over to international agencies mandated to oversee prisoner exchanges, such as the ICRC.”

The 25 detainees were captured during heavy fighting in early 2023 between Somaliland forces and SSC-Khaatumo fighters in Las Anod, a contested city in northern Somalia’s Sool region. Their release last week was carried out by the SSC-Khaatumo administration during a landmark visit by Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre—the first by a sitting premier to Las Anod in over 50 years. Barre’s visit also capped Somalia’s formal recognition of SSC-Khaatumo as a federal member state—a decision that Somaliland fiercely rejects.

The handover was framed by SSC-Khaatumo as a “goodwill gesture,” and by Somali officials as part of a broader reconciliation push. Somalia’s Justice Minister Hassan Moalim said the transfer was motivated by humanitarian considerations. “These are Somali citizens who were caught in a conflict,” Moalim told the BBC. “They are no longer prisoners. They’re receiving medical care and being reunited with their families.” 

Somaliland suspended all dialogue with the Somali federal government following that recognition and has accused Mogadishu of escalating tensions through political maneuvering. Somaliland maintains that no negotiations occurred and denounced the transfer as an illegal act to undermine its territorial authority. Officials said the detainees were removed without consent and stripped of their legal status.

“There were no discussions. This is a politically motivated act that violates international norms and the rights of Somaliland citizens,” said Information Minister Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayanle.

In the statement, Somaliland also urged international human rights organizations to monitor the detainees’ treatment and called for legal oversight of all future transfers.

“The government of Somaliland is committed to a transparent and lawful exchange process that meets international standards,” the statement added.