MOGADISHU, Somalia – The US embassy in Mogadishu said that it is concerned about the living conditions of the prisoners who were captured by SSC-Khatumo and Somaliland during the war in the Sool region.
“We are still concerned about the welfare of all prisoners, and we continue to call for grievances and tensions to be resolved through peaceful dialogue,” the embassy said in a statement.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has facilitated the release of two detainees from Las Anod to Hargeisa in an operation carried out on humanitarian grounds.
Together with the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), the ICRC organized transportation for the released detainees to Garowe, after which they were flown to Hargeisa on a Red Cross plane. Today’s operation means the two wounded individuals will now be able to receive more adequate medical treatment.
“We are pleased to have been able to facilitate the release as a neutral intermediary,” said Samer Jarjouhi, who oversees ICRC’s programs in Somalia and was onboard the flight.
“The wounded will be able to receive specialized treatment and be with their loved ones. We hope that this operation continues to build trust between the Red Cross and both Somaliland and SSC Khatumo.”
The release comes at a time when the ICRC is visiting detainees on both sides of the conflict. On August 31, an ICRC team visited detainees in Las Anod, while on September 4, another team visited Hargeisa Central Prison.
Immediately after fighting broke out in Sool region in February, the ICRC provided surgical supplies to six hospitals in the area and dressing kits to the SRCS ambulance team in Las Anod town. The ICRC has also supported displaced families with cash and is actively working to reconnect families who have become separated from their loved ones.
