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[quote="James Dahl"]Well the same could have been said for Maakhir State, and yet the Warsangeli kicked Puntland out and declared their own state.

It's interesting that Somaliland has not condemned Maakhir the way Puntland has. I think this might be Riyale's strategy to build buffer states between him and Puntland.

It might be his ambition that Maakhir and Darwiishland be autonomous states of Somaliland, rather than autonomous states of Somalia. If Somalia can be a federal state, why not Somaliland? That would resolve the issues with Awdal seperatists too, by granting them autonomy.[/quote]


James Dahl, Somaliland is just like Maakhir or Puntland. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, what we have is the de facto partition of the communist countries into semi-autonomous territories. This has been a common phenomena in many parts of the world. Somalia is no exception, but the International community has detached from direct intervention into the domestic affairs of a country or suggesting the redrawing of once a Sovereign state. Now that Somalia could not assert its sovereign authority over the profusion of carved up states and instability in the country, the best way that members of AU , Arab League, and United Nations in general can do in regards to Somalia's territorial integrity is to keep under the legal doctrine of "suspended animation", which will be revived after legitimate form of rule is established in 90% of the country, not 100%. Perhaps the TFG is going after this final national objective.

SOMALIA: Families flee violence in Sool region

NAIROBI, 18 September 2007 (IRIN) - Scores of families have fled their homes following a clash between forces from the self-declared republic of Somaliland and the autonomous region of Puntland in Somalia.

"A heavy exchange of artillery took place around the village of Abeseoley [22 km north of the regional capital, Las Anod]," said Faisal Jama, a resident of Las Anod in the Sool region, to which both sides lay claim.

The 17 September clash resulted in the killing of two people along with their herd of goats, and caused families living near the front to flee. "People fled the village of Anjiid [16 km north of Las Anod] and moved to Las Anod," he said.

Jama said reports from the area indicated that the fighting was between Puntland and Somaliland forces. It was not immediately clear what triggered the fighting or what the casualty figures were.

Both sides accused each other of initiating the hostilities. Ahmed Aden Arab, the Puntland deputy minister for local government, said Somaliland forces started the shelling.

"They started it and we responded," he said.

However, Somaliland spokesman, Said Adani, termed the accusation baseless. "This is between clans," he said. "Somaliland forces have nothing to do with it."

The regions of Sool and Sanag, in northern Somalia, geographically fall within the borders of pre-independence British Somaliland, but most of the area's inhabitants, the Warsangeli and Dhulbahante communities, who are members of the larger Darod clan, are associated with residents of Puntland.

Tension between the two sides had been simmering since Puntland troops took total control of Las Anod in December 2003. Before then, both sides had official representation in the town.

The area was reported to be calm but tense on 18 September. "There is no shelling this morning but there is a lot of movement of forces in the area," Jama added.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA-Somalia) said the shelling lasted four hours in an area 22 km north of Las Anod.

Matthew Olins, the acting head of OCHA-Somalia, said: "We are very concerned
about anything that could possibly escalate tension between Puntland and Somaliland."

However, he added that he was hopeful that the tension would diminish.

Source: IRIN

Isaaq and Majeerteen will both leave Dhulos lands after Dhulos get their sh.it together. I hope not too late.

As for all of you idiots, a little knowledge is dangerous. Don’t speak of what you don’t know.

the truth is that somaliland believes in using minimum force to achieve maximum advantage.

a darwiishland and makhirrland are really to somalilands advantage,
we will not fight them, but will infact use somaliland forces to insure thier independance from puntland.

i.e

you will ONLY see Somaliland troops inside lascanood,
if a large puntland army attempts to disarm and capture pro-somaliland dhulbahante.

It's a smart policy, and benefits everyone, so I approve of Somaliland's support for the smaller Harti states. With Maakhir and Darwiishland as buffer states, Somaliland doesn't have to spend so much money on their military, and can spend their money on development.