Somalia: Somaliland troops committed genocide in Las Anod - Elder

LAS ANOD, Somalia - Leading community elder in Sool region Garad Jama has yet again blasted Somaliland administration over the ongoing conflict in Las Anod, terming the situation as "unacceptable" while insisting that "genocide" has been committed by troops deployed by Hargeisa.

His sentiments come as the opposition from Somaliland led by UCID party accused troops of engineering mass murder in the breakaway region of Somalia, while calling for immediate ceasefire. The opposition blamed regional leader Muse Bihi Abdi of escalating tensions in the contested region.

And in an interview with Garowe Online, Jama, who had been in exile since 2007 before his grand return this month, insisted that dialogue cannot be initiated in the troubled region until soldiers from Somaliland who have been fighting with local militia are completely withdrawn without conditions.

"We will accept peace talks with Somaliland when its troops leave all SSC regions," said Garad Jama, a prominent elder during an exclusive interview with Garowe Online.

"We don't know the type of this, but it's the weapon that Somaliland used for the bombardment of Lasanod," noted Sheikh Adan Wali, a member of the SSC's decision-making committee, while speaking to Garowe Online in the city under attack for a third week. Death toll nears 150 according to medical personnel.

On Wednesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] called for urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Las Anod, while regretting the over 100 people who have been killed in the conflict and thousands who are said to have been displaced from their homes.

"People in Las Anod urgently need humanitarian assistance, and we are acting as quickly as possible to bring it to them," said Juerg Eglin, head of the ICRC delegation in Somalia.

"Political disputes must never stand in the way of saving lives."

The ICRC together with the Somali Red Crescent Society [SRCS] has been providing support to local hospitals to evacuate and treat the wounded. However, more resources and supplies are needed on the ground to respond to the growing humanitarian needs.

While the ICRC is scaling up its response to the situation, social media posts are circulating online inciting blockage of the life-saving aid. The committee has been camping in the town providing basic services to the affected people despite limited resources.

"Misinformation spread online can have a serious real-life impact on the security of our teams and our ability to respond to urgent needs," said Merick Alagbe who oversees ICRC's operations in the area. "All our teams are working together in a strictly neutral way to ensure help gets to Las Anod."

Together with the Somali Red Crescent, the ICRC is deploying a surgical team and an ambulance unit from Mogadishu and Galkayo to further support health services.

A team of ICRC staff is currently in Las Anod assessing the humanitarian needs of the population affected by the violence, the team added in a statement.

GAROWE ONLINE