Puntland has sharply criticized Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s visit to Las Anod, with senior officials accusing the Federal Government of failing to deliver meaningful development or security support to the SSC-Khaatumo administration despite backing its formation.
Speaking in Garowe, Puntland Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor described the Prime Minister’s visit as politically symbolic, arguing that more than three years after SSC-Khaatumo emerged as a political administration in Las Anod, residents have yet to see tangible federal investment or development projects.
“It is unfortunate that the Federal Government spent significant resources deploying forces from Bosaso to Galkayo, yet failed to support the security forces stationed in the Sool region,” Lugatoor said.
“More than three years have passed since an administration was declared in Las Anod, but not a single major development project has been implemented. The people should ask Prime Minister Hamza: where are the services and resources that were promised?”
The Puntland official also urged residents of the SSC regions to reassess their political future, arguing that expectations raised by Mogadishu had not been fulfilled.
“Politics can sometimes lead us down the wrong path, but it can also be corrected,” Lugatoor said. “Las Anod is my city, and I want peace and stability there. We cannot continue believing the promises of Hassan Sheikh and Hamza forever. It is time for us to rethink our future.”
The remarks come as political tensions continue over the future of the SSC-Khaatumo administration, which declared itself separate from Somaliland following months of conflict in Las Anod in 2023.
While the Federal Government has increasingly engaged with SSC-Khaatumo and has moved toward recognizing it as a federal member state in formation, Puntland has maintained that the Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn (SSC) regions have longstanding historical and constitutional ties to Puntland under Somalia’s federal system.
Prime Minister Hamza’s visit to Las Anod was viewed by the Federal Government as a demonstration of support for the local administration and part of broader efforts to strengthen federal institutions in the region.
However, Puntland has repeatedly argued that Mogadishu has prioritized political recognition over delivering concrete development, infrastructure, and public services.
The disagreement reflects the broader political contest over the future governance of the SSC regions.
While SSC-Khaatumo’s leadership seeks formal recognition within Somalia’s federal structure, Puntland continues to claim historical ties to the territory, and Somaliland also maintains its longstanding claim over Sool and parts of Sanaag.
The overlapping claims have made the region one of the most politically sensitive areas in Somalia, with federal engagement continuing to draw criticism from competing stakeholders.