Laascaanood (Kaab TV) – Following the Friday evening ceasefire announcement by Somaliland authorities, a heavy fighting broke out in Laascaanood town, Sool region, on Saturday morning collapsing the one-sided cease, local journalists and eyewitnesses said.
The gun battle began early on Saturday in the troubled city. For the 6th day in a row, the city of Laascaanood is under heavy bombardment. It is not clear who started the Saturday fighting.
Last night, Somaliland’s interior minister Mohamed Kahin and the information minister Saleban Ali Kore announced a unilateral ceasefire as they called for dialogue with the Sool elders who are opposing Somaliland’s presence in the region.
The two ministers were speaking in a press conference in Aynaba town.
The number of deaths and injuries could rise, according to the local health workers. However, hospitals are civilian residences have been bombarded making the situation the most complicated one.
The ongoing clashes between Somaliland forces and local fighters comes after weeks of tension in the town following the killing of a local politician by masked gunmen. Protesters took to the streets in December resulting Somaliland to shoot them.
This latest fighting also comes amid a dispute over the future status of territories in eastern Somaliland, where a significant number of the locals appear to support unity with Somalia.
The United Nations says that around 80,000 civilians have been forced to leave their homes and that dozens of people have been killed.
Few people who still remain in the city are saying the general situation in Laascaanood is dire as displacement continues.
Meanwhile, the UN has been calling for an independent and impartial investigation into clashes in Laascaanood that resulted the killing of civilians.