HARGEISA (Kaab TV) – The Cabinet of Ministers of Somaliland announced on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, that they have officially withdrawn from ongoing talks with the Federal Government of Somalia.
In an official statement read by the spokesperson of the Somaliland Presidency, the government said the decision was made in response to what it described as Somalia’s “persistent violations” against Somaliland and the principles previously agreed upon in earlier negotiations between the two sides.
The statement also strongly condemned the recent visit of Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre to Las Anod on April 12, 2025.
Somaliland presidential spokesman, Hussein Adan Deyr, the visit as “a provocative and unlawful act” that violates international norms and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Somaliland.
“That action was a political provocation and an incitement to conflict, which directly threatens the stability of the Horn of Africa. It was a blatant violation of international norms and an infringement on the rights of Somaliland citizens, who were unlawfully abducted,” Deyr said.
Prime Minister Barre’s visit to Las Anod was the first by a top Somali federal leader since the eruption of the SSC-Khaatumo conflict two years ago.
During his trip, Barre met with local officials, elders, and members of the SSC-Khaatumo administration, reiterating the federal government’s support for communities that have resisted Somaliland’s authority in the region.
Despite the withdrawal from talks, the Somaliland government reiterated its commitment to peace in the Sool region.
The statement recalled the peace appeal issued by the President of Somaliland during his inauguration on December 12, 2024.
The government emphasized that peace remains its top priority, but firmly maintained that defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somaliland is a non-negotiable principle.
The Somaliland – SSC-Khaatumo Conflict
The decision comes amid ongoing tensions in the Sool region, particularly around Las Anod, where forces loyal to the self-declared SSC-Khaatumo administration—aligned with the Federal Government of Somalia—have been in conflict with Somaliland forces since early 2023.
The conflict escalated after local elders and leaders in Las Anod declared their withdrawal from Somaliland’s authority and pledged allegiance to the Federal Government of Somalia.
They subsequently formed SSC-Khaatumo, a regional administration advocating for a federal framework under Mogadishu.
Months of intense clashes have resulted in hundreds of casualties and the displacement of tens of thousands.
Humanitarian agencies have raised concerns over the deteriorating situation, limited aid access, and the risk of further escalation.
While Somaliland continues to claim the region as part of its territory based on colonial-era borders, the SSC-Khaatumo and the Somali government assert that the area falls within Somalia’s federal system.
Somaliland’s exit from dialogue with Mogadishu casts doubt on the future of negotiations and raises fears of renewed instability in contested areas specially in the Sool and Sanaag regions.