It was a coordinated assault proceeded by feigned attack and retreat. As Illyria said, I believe in this thread, 14 senior officers were captured including Bootaan's second in command. So many hardware were captured, not to mention POWs. This is no strategic retreat. Abdi Madobe's men went all the way to Oog and Garaads left Las Anod, and were seen at every liberated village. I would add Sland forces and senior commanders knew the terrain. The idea that they get lost or disorientated is ludicrous. The controlled some areas for almost two decades.

It's so much to digest in one day.

He cheated capture one time. You would think he would have counted his blessing.

Heego were attacking and mocking every reasonable person.

This video was making the rounds last night. The secessionists thought they hit something. I wonder if they were duped.

Let's try peace first. Biixi won't fight if he loses the support of HJ. Las Anod suffered. No need for more suffering!

Lucky break! I didn't know they reached Oog. Is Abdirashid Qodhob the overall commander? Abdi Madoobe became a boogeyman for the secessionists.

They were never good at protecting their officers. I could only imagine how many died today.

I went to sleep during the initial attack. I thought it was going to be long and bloody. Couldn't believe Faysal Bootaan was caught fleeing around Gumays. What a day!

I imagine they are very emboldened.

Wow! Did they just panic and run away? Even I didn't expect this. Rumor has it Biixi is mobilizing the last units of the "regular army".

It seemed they just panicked. They are already blaming cadowga gudaha and reer Awdal.

Yes. Per his interview, he has been in touch with the Garaads and elders from his community. He was essentially saying it was time for his clan to settle things with SSC and break with Muse.

Suldaan Buurmadow,

More sensible man

Faysal Warabe. Let's hope Cirro has more sense.

I will be very surprised if he chooses a political path. So much political pressure was already put on him yet he chose to march on. Men like him don't see themselves as making mistakes or losing battle. I guarantee he will probably blame today's loss on the military leadership or the eastern clans. Nothing is his fault.

The North has in the past negotiated uncomfortable peace even though one group had the upper hand. I do believe they can reach a peaceful settlement now as well. The Garaads and SSC leadership have said today and had said in the past, they want peaceful coexistence. I do believe that can be reached if there is new and sincere leadership in Hargeisa. Garaads also expressed clearly they will not violate the clan borders. Unlike the South where the role of traditional leadership had diminished, the North and Northeast still have strong traditional leadership that still commands the respect of the people. It will fall on these men to make the right decisions. But the fate of Muse Biixi must decided first by the elites in Hargeisa.

It is better to know when to stop. No one wants clan war. Pushing into Oog and into further areas is unnecessary and takes away from the simple goal of freeing SSC. It is arrogance that destroyed the secessionists. There's a lesson in there.

I think HJ can make all the difference if they disentangle themselves from the two colonels. Suldaan Buurmood has been a reasonable man, and I am sure there are many others. They can reach out to the Garaads. No one wants more war!