HARGEISA (KAAB TV) – A fierce battle unfolded on Friday between Somaliland police forces and a rebel militia group in the Gacan Libaax mountain, resulting in a grim toll of casualties, according to the police and the ministry of interior.
At least 9 Somaliland police officers were killed, and 17 others sustained injuries in the confrontations, which took place in the Go’da Yar village between the cities of Hargeisa and Berbera.
Somaliland Police Chief, Mohamed Aden Saqadhi, confirmed the fatalities and injuries, shedding light on the gravity of the clash. The situation was underscored in a joint press conference, where the Somaliland Police Commissioner and the Minister of Interior, Mohamed Kaahin, spoke tough on the deadly fighting.
Police chief Saqadhi said the rebel militia group launched an assault on a police post and proceeded to loot two vehicles owned by The HALO Trust, a humanitarian non-government organization working in the region.
The armed clan militia also seized weapons from police officers, further escalating the tension.
Amidst the chaos, the police force vowed to retaliate against the armed clan militia, amplifying the stakes of the battle.
“Our mandate is to defend ourselves. From today on, we shall implement new measures against these individuals,” declared Police Commissioner Mohamed Adan Saqadhi during a press conference in Hargeisa on Friday evening.
Commander Saqadhi conveyed a shift in strategy, highlighting the Somaliland army’s determination to take robust action against the armed rebellion challenging the Somaliland administration.
Meanwhile, the interior minister, Mohamed Kahin, laid allegations against the rebels, claiming that they adamantly resisted dialogue and pinpointing opposition party chairman Abdirahman Abdullahi Irro as their instigator.
Kahin revealed that Irro had been reluctant to engage with elders and political figures in a bid to resolve the situation.
Irro, Governor of Wadani, categorically refuted the accusations while addressing the ongoing conflict from the Awdal region.
According to local residents, the hostilities ignited when a police contingent, including the specially trained Rapid Response Unit (RRU), moved towards the Gacan Libaax mountain. The fighting, which commenced in the early hours on Friday, centered around the village of Go’da Yar, situated within the Gacan Libaax mountain, where the rebel forces were stationed.
As the clashes raged on into the night, a displacement wave swept through the area affected by the conflict. The rebel forces, organized in a tribal manner, vehemently oppose President Muse Bihi Abdi’s administration and accuse it of obstructing the conduct of elections within Somaliland.