HARGEISA (SD) – Somaliland authorities have hit back to Somali prime minister, Mohamed Hussein Roble who condemned decision to evict residents from southern Somalia.

In a statement, Somaliland foreign ministry said the evictions were motivated by issues pertaining to security, including appeals from the local communities and authorities in Las Anod district.

The ministry also said that Intelligence reports and consultations indicated that the selected individuals were putting the safety of the local population at risk but was quick to add that they were deported in a manner that did not infringe on their rights and without damage or loss of property or personhood.

The remarks of Somaliland come on the heels of the comment of Somali prime minister Roble who said the ‘deportation’ amounted to mistreatment of people in their own land.

“Expelling Somalis from a Somali territory is shameful, ugly and dishonouring,” he said. “Ordering people who have been peacefully trading to leave for simply originally coming from the southern regions is unfortunate and will be recorded by history.”

Meanwhile, UN and other aid agencies in Somalia have also expressed regrets on the forced evixtion of hundreds of Somalis by Somaliland government.

The UN humanitarian agency OCHA and the NGO Consortium also noted the Somaliland administration was planning to evict more residents from Las’anod.

“The humanitarian community deeply regrets the arrest and subsequent forced displacements of more than 1,000 women, children and men from Las’anod, Sool Region on 2 and 3 October,” the two organisations said in a joint statement.

On Monday, Puntland state announced that it resettled about 758 people who were evicted by Somaliland government from Las’anod.

The families, mostly children and women, were mostly welcomed in Gaalkacyo, where they were provided with medical care and nutrition.