Somalia: Las Anod Fighting Enters 4th Day With Death Toll Climbs to Nearly 80

The fighting between the Somaliland forces and local residents has continued for the fourth day in Las Anod, the capital of Sool region, witnesses said.

The two sides clashed again on Thursday morning after the SSC troops attacked Somaliland army base in Qaaja-Adde area, which lies about 5 kilometers east of the city.

"The sound of artillery and various types of weapons can be heard from around the city and residents mostly fled from their houses to the safer places," said a villager by phone.

The death toll still rises with the medical facilities in Las Anod are coping with the increasing number of the wounded people amid shortage of medicines and doctors.

The death toll from the 4 day battle rose to at least 75 people with the medics reporting that most of the casualties resulted from the bombardments by Somaliland troops.

The international community and Somali government called for an immediate end to the bloodshed and urged both sides to opt for dialogue instead of killing each other aimlessly.

Somaliland withdrew its forces from the city in early January, under pressure from the international community and the city's residents who waged an uprising against Hargeisa administration.

On Tuesday, Somalia's president Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud called for calm, urging Somaliland to negotiate with traditional elders from Sool region to resolve Las Anod crisis.

For the past 15 years, the city is disputed between Somaliland and Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of Somalia, but the local elders from the Dhulbahante clan have rejected both claims, declaring they intended to establish a new state within federal Somalia, and urging Somaliland's forces to leave the region.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.