April 09, 2007 - 13:47
Somaliland repulses an attack by rival Puntland
Awdalnews Network=
HARGEYSA, Somaliland, 09 April 2007--Somaliland today said it had repulsed an attack by militia’s of neighboring Puntland that attacked the village of Dhahar in Somaliland’s Sanaag region, killing a number of the attacking army and taking a technical (vehicle mounted with machine guns and other heavy equipment).
In a statement sent to Awdalnews Network and other media outlets, Somaliland’s Information Minister Ahmed Haji Dahir Elmi said that the militia of Majertenia attacked Somaliland’s territory while members of Somaliland’s cabinet were touring the country’s Western regions with delegations from the international organizations.
“This morning of April 9th 2007 at 5 am, while members of Somaliland cabinet and other international organizations were present in western regions, the militia of Majertenia armed with 17 technical vehicles and three transport trucks openly crossed Somaliland border at Dhahar district, Sanaag region,†the statement said.
Somaliland government refers to Puntland as Majertenia, which is the dominant clan in Puntland from which Abdillahi Yusuf, President of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and Puntland’s former leader, also hails.
The statement added that the militia immediately attacked the village of Dhahar but was defeated by Somaliland National Army and the people of Dhahar.
“At 8.00 a.m the Majertenia militia attacked Dhahar city but the Somaliland National Army and Dhahar people forcefully defeated the enemy and pushed it back 15 km away from the city, killing many of them and ceasing a technical vehicle called Dheshico. Dhahar people openly welcomed and showed full support to Somaliland army. Somaliland lost 1 soldier and 3 injured. “
The statement indicated that the defeated Puntland militia was regrouping in Dhahar suburb, Shimbirale and Huddun villages, noting that this was not the first time that Majertenia attacked Somaliland. “Similar operations happened in many occasions and larger scale war has been avoided due to Somaliland’s patienceâ€, the statement said.
It emphasized that Somaliland was running out of patience and would no longer tolerate any aggression from Majertenia. “Therefore, we are appealing to the international communities to understand the position of Somaliland, who has no other alternative but to defend its border,†the statement concluded, noting that Somaliland’s democracy, stability and development cannot be jeopardized by Majertenia warlord militia.
Somaliland and Puntland have a long dispute on the region of Sool, which is populated by Dulbahante sub-clan that belongs to the Darood clan with the Majeerteen of Puntland. Also some of the Warsangle sub-clan of Darood, which resides in Sanaag region, also gives allegiance to Puntland due to tribal connections. Both regions historically fall within the colonial borders of Somaliland.
