Bomb kills 4 policemen in breakaway Somaliland

[Garaad Bari]

HARGEISA (Reuters) - A bomb hidden near a mosque killed four policemen in Somalia's northern breakaway enclave of Somaliland on Monday in the latest attack on security forces in the region, police sources said.

 

Somaliland is proud of its relative stability compared with southern regions of the failed Horn of Africa state, where hardline al Shabaab rebels control large amounts of territory and are fighting a weak Western-backed government.

 

Washington accuses al Shabaab of being al Qaeda's proxy in Somalia, and security experts say the group wants to extend its influence north -- aiming to destabilise Somaliland and the neighbouring pro-government, semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

 

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Monday's blast, which came just days after unidentified attackers hurled hand grenades and fired at the main police station in Las Anod near the Puntland border on Jan. 12, wounding three officers.

 

The police sources said the device had been hidden among milk cans left near Las Anod's Grand Mosque, and it detonated as they inspected the cans. Two policemen were severely wounded.

 

In two separate violent incidents in the area late on Sunday, gunmen ambushed and killed a senior police operations officer as he returned home from evening prayers, and a woman was killed by an explosion near Las Anod's hospital.

 

Earlier this month, Somaliland's security forces said they had foiled an attack on a Hargeisa mosque where the imam had spoken out against suicide bombings carried out by al Shabaab insurgents in southern Somalia.

 

Al Shabaab hit Somaliland and Puntland with synchronised suicide blasts that killed at least 24 people in October 2008. A court in Hargeisa has sentenced five men to death in absentia for those bombings, and said they were on the run in other parts of Somalia. Somaliland has long sought international recognition as sovereign state. It declared itself independent in 1991.

 

Analysts worry a simmering political row between the president of Somaliland and opposition parties over delayed elections could trigger a re-arming among clan militias, further violence and more turmoil for al Shabaab to exploit.

 

Source: The Star

[Garaad Bari]

maye qolyii ku mushxaradaayey marka dhibtanoo kale ka dhacdo p/land? Alla how naxariisto intii dhimatay,,, waxii ku dhawacmayna alla ha caafiyo

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

yes ilahay ha u naxaristo Askarta ku dhintay.

[Garaad Bari]

4-Askari oo Somaliland ah oo ku dhintay Qarax ka dhacay Laascaanood.

Wararka ka imaanaya magaaladda Laascaanod ee xarunta gobolka Sool ayaa waxaa ay sheegaayan in qarax halkaas ka dhacay maanta ay ku dhinteen ila iyo 4-Askari oo ka tirsan Ciidanka maamulka Somaliland. Weriye madaxbanaan oo ku sugan halkaas ayaa Horseed Media uu sheegay in qaraxa ay kooxo hubeysan Saldhig ku taala bartamaha magaaladda,halkaas oo ay ku sugnaayeen Ciidan ka tirsan kuwa maamulka Somaliland. Waxaana uu hadalkiisa ku daray in khasaaraha uu dhaliyey khasaaro dhimasho 4-Askari,kuwaas oo ku sugnaa Saldhiga xilliga uu qaraxa ka dhacaayay. Saraakisha Booliska Somaliland ayaa iyaguna ka gaabsaday in ay ka hadlaan qaraxaas,iyadoo Ciidanka Amaanka ee Somaliland ay magaaladda ka wadaan howlgalo ay ku baarayaan cidi ka dambeysay qaraxaas oo aan la aqoon ila iyo iminka. Dhowr maalmood ka hor magaaladda Laascaanod ayaa waxaa lagu dilay Sarkaal Sare oo ka tirsanaa Booliska Somaliland ee gobolka Sool,iyadoo qaraxyada iyo dilalka lala beegsanaayo Ciidanka Somaliland ay kusoo badanaayan magaaladda Laascaanood.

[Suldaanka]

Very unfortunate. The police recovered the bomb which was placed near the central mosque by anti-peace terrorists but it exploded as soon as it was brought back to the central station. All the victims are local people.

 

Ilaahay ha u naxariisto dhamaan, intii ku dhaawacantayna we wish them a very quick recovery. Amiin.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Garaadka bari he thinks setting up bombs near mosques will give back his freedom.

[Mintid Farayar]

Also, in a separate thread I posted last week I noted how Las Anod is increasingly referred to as Somaliland territory in current news stories.

 

No more mention of 'disputed regions' as a reference when mentioning Sool.

 

It seems the 'facts on the ground policy' is working for Somaliland.

 

None the less, do not underestimate the danger of these bombings and hit and run tactics. The anti-Somaliland groups have accepted for good that they're no match for Somaliland in military confrontations. Hence, they've opted for guerrilla tactics and terrorist-style bombings with the hope that Somaliland forces will enforce draconian rules on the local Sool population. This would alienate the Sool population from Somaliland law-enforcement forces and create a simmering feeling of occupation.

 

That seems to be the new plan for the anti-Somaliland malcontents.

[Juje]

Originally posted by Suldaanka:

Ilaahay ha u naxariisto dhamaan, intii ku dhaawacantayna we wish them a very quick recovery. Amiin.

Amiin...!

[Jacaylbaro]

Allah ha u naxariisto intii dhimatay ....

[Saalax]

AHUN.

[A_Khadar]

Originally posted by Suldaanka:

All the victims are local people.

Locals??? Does that mean they are not Somaliland police/army. And your feelings would be different if the victims were your tribes’ men. They are locals so no big deal. It’s very dangerous what you guys belief and wish for other people.

[AYOUB]

^ You are being silly. Here's what he said;

Originally posted by Suldaanka:

Very unfortunate. The police recovered the bomb which was placed near the central mosque by anti-peace terrorists but it exploded as soon as it was brought back to the central station. All the victims are local people.

 

Ilaahay ha u naxariisto dhamaan, intii ku dhaawacantayna we wish them a very quick recovery. Amiin.

[xiinfaniin]

@create a simmering feeling of occupation

 

Alla maxa dad maalin cad riyoonayya

[Kamaavi]

Skinny farahs can coexist ,,, no more cat fighting please...

[A_Khadar]

Oh yeah i am being silly to spot the hidden dangers you all have inside..What purpose it serves to mention here that victims are locals otherwise???