Puntland–Somaliland dispute

The Puntland–Somaliland dispute is a territorial dispute over the Somali regions of Sool, Cayn and Sanaag between the two states of Somaliland and Puntland.

The dispute escalated into armed clashes on October 15, 2007 when a Somaliland-aligned faction of the Dulbahante clan attacked the ruling Puntland-aligned faction of the same clan in Las Anod, the capital of the "SSC" region (Sool, Sanaag and Cayn). The Puntland-aligned administration has ruled the town since 2003, when the Somaliland-aligned faction was forced out.

The Dispute

Sanaag

Sanaag is a disputed region, claimed as sovereign territory by the two self-proclaimed but internationally-unrecognized states of Somaliland and Puntland, as well as defined as part of the Somali Republic according to the 2004 Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

The dispute between Somaliland and Puntland stems from 1998, when Puntland formed and declared the region as part of its territory.cite web
title=Remarks on the 1998 Charter of Puntland State of Somalia
url=http://www.somaliawatch.org/archivejuly/000812601.htm
date=2000-08-12
publisher=Somalia Watch
accessdate=2007-01-18 ] Prior to that, it had been claimed by Somaliland since the 1991 events of the Somali Civil War.

Beginning in 2003, the forces of Puntland entered and occupied the region based on irredentist desires, due to the large Darod clan population in the area. Somaliland claimed the territory as part of the original bounds of British Somaliland. Fighting between the two forces led to casualties and captured prisoners, who were later exchanged. As a related contention, in 2005 Puntland tried to sell off mineral rights to foreign investors, including the disputed territories of Sool and Sanaag.cite news
title=Somalia's Puntland Sold Exploration Rights In ‎Somaliland
url=http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2005/211/22.shtml
date=2006-02-01
publisher=Somaliland Times
accessdate= ] cite news
title=Somaliland, Puntland Exchange Detainees
url=http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2005/203/21.shtml
date=2005-12-07
publisher=Somaliland Times
accessdate=2007-01-18 ]

The dispute with the TFG stems from the passage of the new Charter in November 2004. However, this was not a pragmatic issue until the military successes of the government in the 2006–2007 war in Somalia. Assertions of sovereignty in January 2007 by the TFG leadership sparked riots in Somaliland, both for and against a reunification with the south.cite news
title=Anti Somalia government protest rages in Somaliland
url=http://somalinet.com/news/world/Somalia/6740
date=2007-01-16
publisher=SomaliNet
accessdate=2007-01-16 ] cite news
title=Pro-government rally take place in northwest Somalia
url=http://www.shabelle.net/news/ne2096.htm
publisher=Shabelle Media Network
date=2007-01-17
accessdate=2007-01-19 ]

In July 1, 2007, the state of Maakhir was declared on the area. It claims independence from both Puntland and Somaliland. [ [http://www.laasqoray.net/view_article.php?articleid=1055 The Formation of The Maakhir State of Somalia] ]

Sool

Sool is a disputed region, claimed as sovereign territory by the two self-proclaimed but internationally-unrecognized states of Somaliland and Puntland, as well as defined as part of the Somali Republic according to the 2004 Transitional Federal Charter of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). During 2006, the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) also incorporated sharia courts in Sool region into their loose alliance, though their military forces never occupied the region.

Under the government of Siad Barre, Sool was not a separate region, but part of the larger Nugaal province, with the capital city of Garowe. It was separated from Nugaal in the 1980s.cite web
title=Somalia (1988)
url=http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/somalia.jpg
date=December 1988
publisher=CIA
accessdate=2007-02-21 ]

Since 2003 and until October 2007, Sool has been under control of Puntland. [http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2005/211/22.shtml Puntland's control over parts of Somaliland] . "The Somaliland Times". February 1, 2006 (afrol News).]

Ayn

The area is also claimed, since 1991, by the "de facto" independent state of Somaliland, centered on the town of Buuhoodle, as part of the original boundaries of British Somaliland. According to Somaliland, the so-called Ayn area claimed by Puntland remains part of the Togdheer region. Somaliland disputes the territorial claims of Puntland, which wrote the claim on the portion of Togdheere into their 1998 charter.

Armed Clashes

Capture of Las Anod

In October 2007, the conflict mushroomed into a regional conflict over control of the city of Las Anod, as Somaliland regular army forces mobilized from their base in the town of Adhicadeeye, west of the city, and entered the conflict. Puntland was slow to mobilize a counter-attack, as Puntland's weak economy and overstretched military obligations in Mogadishu prevented a rapid response. After getting the city under its control, Somaliland moved Sool's regional administration into Las Anod.

Between 10 and 20 people were reported to be dead. A security official who tracks Somalia said, "Somaliland troops have captured the entire town and 100 Puntland troops. Somaliland has warned that if Puntland troops try to come back, they would not mind going deep into Puntland territory," [http://www.shabelle.net/news/ne3833.htm] [ [http://allafrica.com/stories/200710151934.html allAfrica.com: Somalia: Over 20 People Killed in Fresh Fighting Between Somaliland And Puntland States (Page 1 of 1) ] ]

There were conflicting reports on whether Somaliland troops advanced further into Puntland toward its capital Garowe, about 90km to the east. Abdillahi Ali, Somaliland's defence minister, told that Somaliland troops had control of the checkpoint on the road to Garowe. A diplomat that tracks Somalia from Nairobi told Reuters Somaliland had advanced 25km east of Las Anod.cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3C4CBB81-223B-4CC8-AABB-421D2DFDA68C.htm|title=Rival Somali regions in armed clash|accessdate=2007-10-16|date=2007-10-15|format=HTML|work=Aljazeera.net|publisher=Al Jazeera|language=English]

January 2008 clashes

On January 13 2008, heavy fighting erupted after separatist troops from Somaliland attacked a base where rival clan militias were organizing, local sources said. The fighting began early in the morning when Somaliland troops raided militias organizing at Dhabansar, a village southwest of Las Anod, the provincial capital of disputed Sool region. Somaliland forces captured more than 20 prisoners of war, including Col. Deyr Abdi. Some 10 people were killed. [ [http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Somaliland_s_separatist_troops_clash_with_local_militias_in_northern_Somalia.shtml Garowe Online - Home ] ] [ [http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Somalia_Puntland_and_Somaliland_trade_accusations_after_deadly_battle.shtml Garowe Online - Home ] ]

Col. Deyr was recently appointed as military commander for the region by Gen. Adde Muse, leader of the neighboring rival sub-state of Puntland, which also claims legitimacy over Sool region.

On January 15 2008, the president of Puntland Adde Muse Hersi said that its government would soon resume control of Las Anod, and recapture it from Somaliland. [ [http://somalinet.com/news/world/Somalia/14276 Latest News - SomaliNet ] ]

References

See also

*War in Somalia (2006–present)
*Maakhir