LAS ANOD, Somalia – Heavy fighting between the Somaliland forces and SSC Khatumo fighters broke out on Wednesday morning in Bisiqa area of Yeyle town in Sool region.
The battle came after Somaliland regional troops attacked the SSC-Khatumo base and there were no immediate reports on the extent of the losses so far on both sides.
The forces of Somaliland and SSC Khatumo have recently faced each other in the areas of Buqdharkayn and Yayle where there have been previous battles between the two sides.
The fighting is involved by the community forces supporting Somaliland in the region.
The newly-formed SSC Khatumo troops recently set fire to the Buqdharkayn, after they said that people from the area killed villagers, who live east of the contested village.
After the burning down of the Buqdharkayn locality, SSC Khatumo traditional elders called for peace, while some of the Somaliland leaders refused to accept the peace treaty request.
Since February of this year, there has been fighting in the disputed Las Anod city between forces in the self-declared Somaliland state and community fighters, now SSC-Khatumo.
After 8 month-war, Somaliland lost the city of Las Anod to SSC-Khatumo.
Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn make the current SSC-Khaatumo state, which has also declared itself autonomous. The Dhulbahante tribe claimed Las Anod as their capital city.
The bloody conflict has highlighted the importance of the region’s security and stability to the rest of Somalia, according to the security experts, who spoke to Shabelle Radio.
