Top Traditional Leaders in Sool and Sanaag Deal Major Setback to Villa Somalia’s Khaatumo Plan

Laascaanood (GAROWE ONLINE) — In a rare and forceful public address, two of the most senior traditional leaders from northern Somalia delivered a sharp blow to Villa Somalia’s efforts to build a new federal state under the name Khaatumo.

Garaad Jaamac Garaad Cali and Suldaan Siciid Suldaan Cabdisalaan, the highest-ranking elders from the Sool and Sanaag regions, spoke early Friday night in a live broadcast that sent shockwaves across Somalia’s political scene. Their message was unequivocal: they oppose the ongoing political initiative, spearheaded by some Khaatumo-aligned politicians with backing from the Federal Government of Somalia.

Garaad Jaamac, a veteran and widely respected figure in traditional Somali leadership, declared that the proposed conference aimed at establishing Khaatumo State was “illegitimate and divisive.” Speaking directly to the public, he warned that the Warsangeli community of Sanaag “cannot and will not be coerced into attending a process they have no knowledge of.” He added that any claim of representation over Laascaanood without broad consensus was unacceptable.

The Garaad, who holds one of the oldest and most authoritative traditional titles in the Sool and Cayn regions, emphasized that his stance has been consistent for over 15 years and remains unchanged: the people of Sanaag and Haylaan must not be spoken for without their consent.

Following him, Suldaan Siciid Suldaan Cabdisalaan reinforced the message, saying no one from Sanaag would attend or support the Laascaanood conference. He called on the people of Sool to respect their Sanaag counterparts, reminding the public that the latter stood in solidarity during past struggles to regain Sool.

Their statements are seen by many observers as a significant blow to the legitimacy of the Khaatumo initiative and a clear rejection of the Federal Government’s efforts to fold Sanaag and Haylaan into the new administrative structure through top-down pressure.

Villa Somalia, already grappling with an escalating insurgency by Al-Shabaab, internal political rifts, and an uncertain post-term transition, now faces fresh criticism. Accusations are mounting that Mogadishu is attempting to undermine Puntland’s territorial cohesion by backing a process viewed by many in the north as exclusionary and unconstitutional.

The declaration by Garaad Jaamac and Suldaan Siciid not only underscores the deep-rooted divisions within Somalia’s federal project but also signals a growing resistance by regional power centers who see the central government’s role as overreaching.

— GAROWE ONLINE