LAASCAANOOD (KAAB TV) – Reports from the outskirts of Laascaanood, the capital of the Sool region, indicate a recent flare-up of hostilities between the Somaliland military forces and Dhulbahante fighters opposing Somaliland’s presence in the region.
Witnesses report an exchange of artillery on Wednesday, marking an escalation in the ongoing conflict.
The clash ensued after Somaliland forces initiated maneuvers in the frontlines, triggering the exchange of heavy artillery fire.
The Dhulbahante (Sool, Sanaag and Cayn SSC) fighters claimed to have successfully targeted a Somaliland army base in the Gojacadde camp, a key stronghold of the Somaliland forces on the outskirts of Laascaanood.
Somaliland military officials say they struck bases hosting the Dhulbahante fighters in the vicinity of Laascaanood.
As of now, casualty figures remain unknown, and independent sources are unavailable to provide verified information.
The conflict in Laascaanood is part of an ongoing armed struggle between the Somaliland army and SSC forces of the Dhulbahante clan, who seek to secede from Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1992. Allegedly, the Dhulbahante fighters have been receiving financial support, equipment, and reinforcements from allied clans based in mainland Somalia.
The current bout of fighting erupted on February 6 after Somaliland security forces forcefully cracked down on civil protests, exacerbating the existing tensions.
According to aid groups and medical personnel on the ground, the protracted conflict has resulted in the loss of over 300 lives and the displacement of nearly 200,000 people. The humanitarian situation continues to worsen as the violence persists, placing additional strain on already vulnerable communities.