Hargeisa — Somaliland has ordered all foreigners residing illegally in the territory to leave within 10 days, citing security concerns, a senior interior ministry official said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters in Hargeisa, Somaliland's State Minister for Interior, Abdirashid Mohamed Hassan (Magaalo), announced that all undocumented foreign nationals must leave the country within the specified period or face legal action.

"Illegal foreigners must leave the country within 10 days," the minister said.

The official did not specify what had prompted the decision at this time, nor did he provide details on the number or nationalities of those affected by the directive.

However, Magaalo said the measure was linked to security considerations, stressing the need to strengthen national security and ensure that all foreign residents comply with Somaliland's immigration laws.

He urged foreign nationals living in Somaliland without valid legal documentation to regularize their status or depart before the deadline expires.

The announcement comes amid heightened regional security concerns in the Horn of Africa, where governments have increasingly tightened border controls and immigration measures in response to security threats.

Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but lacks widespread international recognition, maintains its own immigration and security institutions and regularly conducts operations targeting undocumented migrants and individuals deemed to pose security risks.

No further details were immediately available regarding the implementation of the order or possible exemptions.

Reporting by Mohamed Duale; Editing by Horn Diplomat News Desk.