GAROWE, Somalia Oct 5 (Garowe Online) - The defense minister of the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland remained adamant on Friday that Somaliland troops were in control of Las Anod, a disputed town in Sool region.
Abdullahi Ali Ibrahim, the Somaliland defense minister, told a VOA Somali Service interview today that a group of pro-Puntland militias were routed out of Las Anod by Somaliland forces.
Northern Somalia
"The groups that fought there [Las Anod] are not groups who support the two administrations [Somaliland and Puntland] but a group that supports Majertenia [Puntland] whom the locals were complaining about ...and our troops," Ibrahim said, using a clan term to describe Puntland.
He argued that there are no Puntland troops in Las Anod, but "only civilians" affiliated with the Puntland administration.
Minister Ibrahim said the Somaliland government is fighting for the self determination of the people of Sool region, whom he said were under attack from Puntland on every front.
"Forgery [currency] is made in Garowe to hurt Las Anod economically," he said, referring to false Shillings printed locally that hurt the Puntland economy as whole in recent months.
But Mr. Ibrahim's uttered his strongest words yet when asked Somaliland's ultimate goal.
"Our plan is to close the Somaliland border, by peace or war," he said.
His account was dismissed as "propaganda" by Mohamed "Gaagaab" Ali, the Puntland minister of finance.
Mr. Gaagaab said he and several Puntland Cabinet ministers are presently in Las Anod "conducting work as usual."
He said the city was peaceful and under the full control of Puntland security forces.
"Somaliland troops are still in the same location as before," Gaagaab said during the VOA interview, referring to an area roughly 20km northwest of Las Anod.
He said there were reports that many Puntland soldiers had been captured during gun battles between Puntland and Somaliland troops last Monday.
"We are missing six men but they [Somaliland] claim to have captured 24," Mr. Gaagaab said.
He said Somaliland's claim on Sool region is based on maps designed by colonialists.
"This land belongs to a people who have lived here for thousands of years and who will defend it. Colonialists cannot give you land," Mr. Gaagaab argued.
Somaliland officials maintain that Sool was part of the ex-British Protectorate of Somaliland, the borders on which the breakaway leaders aim to get international recognition.
But the majority of inhabitants in Sool region, the Dhulbahante community, share strong clan ties to the dominant clan in Puntland, the Majerteen. Both clans form part of the larger Darod clan-family and Dhulbahante clan elders took leading role in the formation of Puntland in 1998.
"[Somaliland President Dahir] Riyale's troops attacked us many times before. We are not preparing for war but defense. We are with our people, in our region," Gaagaab said.
Somaliland and Puntland have kept their armies opposite each other in parts of Sool region since 2003 when Puntland effectively took control of Las Anod.
. I wish they try to use force and we will see how these simpletons fight
