I warned about this two years ago: I said the war wouldn’t stop in Las Anod—it would reach Sanaag. Yet, everyone insisted that Somaliland’s withdrawal from the eastern regions would bring peace. Where are those people now?
Time and again, Somalilanders fail to understand Somalia.
People talk about peace and war without realising that these terms mean different things in Somaliland and Somalia.
From 1980 to 1991, the SNM fought a Faqash regime—not clans. After Somalia’s collapse, the SNM had no interest in land grabs or revenge. But in Somalia, post-1991 wars were driven by warlords, revenge, and clans battling over land.
Good relations between neighbouring clans—even those of the same ancestry—mean nothing.
Just look at:
The Harti vs Ogaden war over Kismayo.
How Rahanweyn lands were seized by force.
This is how Somalis view war: mass killings, displacement, dishonor the dead, rape etc…
In contrast, Somaliland’s conflicts have always involved fighting men and ended with mediation by clan elders, ensuring that clan relations remain intact. Diya is always paid, and relations continue to be friendly.
But now, border Darood clans are adopting Somalia’s culture of war and peace—moving away from Somaliland’s tradition.
Why?
Sool and Sanaag were untouched by earlier wars—they don’t know real war.
They mistook Bihi’s restrained peacekeeping for weakness, viewing Isaaq as just another Rahanweyn to push aside.
Who’s behind this?
Mogadishu—and everyone backing its false claim over Somaliland, starting with China who sends weapons to these militia
Meanwhile, Mogadishu promised these clans a federal state if they seized enough land in Sool and Sanaag—regardless of the other clans living there.
In 1991, they had no choice but to coexist with Somaliland.
Today, they use religion, clan, or any excuse to justify Somalia’s expansionist ambitions.
And the world enables them—choosing between a recognised country and an unrecognised one.
This is their go-to move whenever Somaliland’s recognition gains traction (NDAA in 2023, Trump in 2025).
RECOMMENDATIONS
How to stop this war in Sanaag?
- Somaliland army should return to Las Anod to cut the supplies to Sanaag region and arms trafficking
- Other clans in Somaliland should adopt a policy of territorial expansion if border clans insist on this path. Let’s be realists (Somalis say qaniinyo ayaa qaniinyo kaa fujisa)
- Somalia’s stakeholders must declare that no federal state in Sool or Sanaag will be recognised or supported even for 1 USD.
- Somaliland recognition. This will offer border clans a better path to peaceful coexistence instead of seeking rights only from Mogadishu. It will finally put an end to the border issue once and for all.
WRITTEN BY ABDI DAUD