(14-10-23) HARGEISA — Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi on Saturday doubled down on threats of military action, describing his self-declared republic as “in a stage of war.” This marks his second public appearance since his army’s defeat in the Sool region on 25 August.
Speaking in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, Bihi emphasised the need for internal conflicts to be swiftly resolved to focus on what he termed “the invading enemy.” Puntland, a neighbouring federal member state, was identified as the primary adversary.
“We are committed, and will fight and see who wins. Can they take us or not,” Bihi stated, in comments likely to stoke tensions in an already fragile region.
On the subject of borders, the President asserted that the boundaries of Somaliland remain those left by colonial powers. He added that these are recognised by international bodies such as the United Nations, African Union, and IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development).
“We will not decolonise and close them,” Bihi said, a statement that may fuel further discord between Somaliland and SSC-Khatumo, another autonomous region in Somalia that has distanced itself from Somaliland’s ambitions of being a self-declared republic.
The President’s renewed calls for war risk escalating conflicts in Somalia, a country already fraught with political instability and terrorist activities. The international community, which has repeatedly called for peace and dialogue in the area, has yet to respond to Bihi’s comments.
Experts warn that armed confrontation between Somaliland and SSC-Khatumo could have wider ramifications, threatening stability not just in the two regions but across Somalia.
The SSC-Khatumo leader is in Mogadishu, having talked with both President Hassan Sheikh and Prime Minister Hamza to deescalate the situation and instructing SSC-Khatumo forces not to cross into Somaliland’s tribal borders.
Halqabsi News
