The Puntland government has criticized President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Saturday decision to appoint an envoy to Somaliland.
President Mohamud appointed former Galmudug state President Abdikarim Hussein Guled (pictured) to lead his government’s efforts to “ensure the unity and solidarity of the Somali people.”
A statement from Villa Somalia states, ” it is necessary to share advice, listen to each other, discuss, and find a lasting solution to the existing concerns of our brothers and sisters living in the northern regions of Somaliland.”
However, Punland’s Minister of Information, Mohamud Aydid Dirir, who held a press conference in Garowe on Sunday, described the appointment of Somaliland’s envoy as an unnecessary political issue which violates the rights of the SSC regions.
The information minister added that President Mohamud has yet to appoint a special envoy to tackle the humanitarian issues created by the displacement of Sool residents fleeing the Las Anod conflict.
“Today, there is a need to protect the rights of those who were displaced from their homes in Las Anod. Over 80,000 people have been displaced to Ethiopia, where they are living under trees. As a result, the government should appoint a special envoy to collaborate with the international community to coordinate aid for these people so they can return home.,” said the minister.
The Somaliland army has reiterated its intention to launch an offensive against SSC-Khatumo forces in Las Anod following heavy fighting on the town’s outskirts on Saturday.
Faisal Abdi Botan, the commander of the 12th Brigade of the Somaliland Army, stated in an interview with Somaliland-owned media from the Goja-Adde command near Las Anod that the national army would intensify its operations and take “an unforgettable” step against the enemy.