Hargeisa January 03, 2023 (SD) – The outgoing president of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, today held a presser in Hargeisa vowing to quell the deadly ten-day-long protest in Lasanod and sent a warning to Somalia.

Despite the families’ claims that over 100 were killed in Lasanod since Somaliland took over Sool, the president claimed 40 people were killed in Lasanod since 2009 all of whom he said were government officials and Somaliland supporters, adding that most of the perpetrators have been arrested.

President Bihi accused Somalia’s federal government of being behind the war that President Deni of Puntland said he will wage against Somaliland.

He asked the governments of Kenya and Ethiopia to address the conflict politicians from those countries are fueling in Somaliland. Bihi did not respond to the accusations made by the chairman of the House of Representatives and Somaliland’s national parties regarding the deadly clashes between civilians and the Somaliland forces in Lasanod.

The outgoing president’s statement comes at a time when armed men attacked a Somaliland military base in the town of Lasanod last night.

It is not yet clear the damage caused by the confrontation last night and it is the second night that the Somaliland forces were attacked in Lasanod. There was no info on casualties suffered by either side in last night’s attack.