Somalia PM visits Las Anod in historic move for unity

[Deeq A.]

LAS ANOD, Somalia – Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre made a historic visit to Las Anod on Saturday—the first by a sitting federal premier to the city in decades—prompting celebrations among locals and sharp condemnation from Somaliland, which claims sovereignty over the area.

Thousands of residents lined the streets waving Somali flags to welcome Barre, who was accompanied by senior federal officials and greeted by leaders of the self-declared SSC-Khatumo administration.

In his address to the crowd, Barre described the trip as a mission of “unity, peace, and Somali brotherhood.”

“This visit represents national solidarity and the promise of lasting peace,“ he said. “Khatumo belongs to its people—and we will stand with them.”

Las Anod, the capital of the Sool region, has been at the center of a long-running territorial dispute between Somalia’s federal government and Somaliland, a self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but lacks international recognition.

The city has been under SSC-Khatumo control since local militias, supported by residents, expelled Somaliland forces following violent clashes in early 2023.

During the visit, Barre’s government announced a slate of federal development initiatives to strengthen administrative services and rebuild public infrastructure.

Federal Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali (Xoosh), who accompanied the Prime Minister, said Somalia’s National Electoral Commission, National ID Authority (NIRA), and Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) would soon open offices in Las Anod.

“We’re bringing governance closer to the people,“ Xoosh told state media. “This is just the beginning—we have more programs on the way.”

During his stay, the SSC-Khatumo administration also confirmed that Barre would oversee the launch of key infrastructure projects and hold meetings with local leaders and civil society groups.

Somaliland condemns visit as breach of sovereignty

The trip has sparked a sharp rebuke from Somaliland’s leadership, which views Las Anod as part of its sovereign territory. In a statement issued Saturday, Somaliland’s House of Representatives condemned Barre’s visit as a “blatant interference“ in its internal affairs.

“The Prime Minister’s presence in Las Anod constitutes a serious violation of Somaliland’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty,“ said House Speaker Yasin Haji Mohamoud Hiir (Faratoon), who signed the resolution.

The statement called on Somaliland’s government to cut off all dialogue with Somalia and demanded that the international community hold Mogadishu accountable for any instability resulting from the visit.

“This act undermines peace in the region, and any fallout will be the responsibility of the Somali government,“ the resolution said.

Political observers say Barre’s visit could have wide-reaching implications for Somalia’s fragile federal structure and its relations with Somaliland and Puntland.

Dr. Abdirashid Ismail, deputy director of the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies, said the trip can be interpreted as part of Barre’s constitutional mandate—but warned that timing and perception matter.

“If the visit is part of efforts to unify federal member states and respond to community needs, it could be a positive step,“ said Ismail. “But if it becomes entangled in political posturing, especially amid federal-state tensions, it risks deepening divisions.”

Some analysts argue the visit may also aim to consolidate support among the Darod clan base, to which Barre belongs, as political alliances across Somalia shift ahead of future elections.

Guuleed Ahmed Dafac, a Somaliland affairs analyst, said the visit puts additional political pressure on Somaliland.

“This is the first time since Somaliland declared independence in 1991 that a Somali prime minister has entered territory it claims,“ Dafac noted. “It’s a symbolic and strategic move that challenges Somaliland’s narrative on the ground.”

SSC-Khatumo seeks federal recognition

For residents of Las Anod and the SSC-Khatumo leadership, the Prime Minister’s presence is seen as a step toward long-sought federal recognition.

“People here have suffered from conflict and neglect,“ said one local leader. “Our priority now is to fully integrate into the federal system and receive the rights and services other regions enjoy.”

SSC-Khatumo, which emerged from the ashes of last year’s fighting, functions as a de facto administration but lacks formal recognition as a federal member state. Some are interpreting Barre’s visit as a signal that Mogadishu may be open to granting such recognition in the future.

The visit comes at a time of heightened sensitivity across Somalia’s political landscape. Puntland, another federal member state with historical claims to the Sool region, recently suspended relations with the federal government over constitutional disputes. Observers warn that any federal endorsement of SSC-Khatumo could strain relations further.

While Barre’s government insists the trip was motivated by national unity and service delivery, the broader consequences—both domestic and regional—are likely to unfold in the weeks ahead.