The conflict, which involved clan militias and Ethiopian Somali Regional State forces, left over 35 people dead and displaced hundreds.

Officials from both sides announced an agreement to cease hostilities in the disputed area, resolving the deadly land dispute through what they described as “peaceful and sustainable means.”

The clashes, which erupted last week, saw Somali Regional State forces, reportedly in collaboration with Ogaden clan militia, launch an early morning attack on Dacawalay village.

The assault targeted Isaaq/Arab clan militia and resulted in civilian casualties, including elders and children, according to survivors.

According to hospital sources, over 70 injured individuals were transported to hospitals in Hargeisa and Gebilay for treatment.

Somaliland officials accused the Liyu Police, the Somali Regional State paramilitary force, of leading the attacks and committing human rights violations.

“The violence in Dacawalay has caused immense suffering, including the killing of civilians and the abduction of traditional elders who were working towards peace,” said Somaliland’s Minister of Internal Security, Abdalle Mohamed Arab.

The meeting in Jigjiga, mediated by senior Ethiopian officials including the Commander of the Eastern Zone, General Afgado, and the Minister of the Presidency of the Somali Regional State, brought together key figures from both governments.

The Somaliland delegation included Minister of Defense Mohamed Yusuf Ali, Minister of the Presidency Khadar Hussein Abdi, Chief of the Somaliland National Armed Forces General Nuux Ismail Taani, Chief of Police General Mohamed Aden Saqadhi, and the Director of the National Intelligence Agency.

In a statement, Minister Arab described the talks as “significant,” noting that both sides agreed to end the bloodshed and resolve the conflict through dialogue to prevent future violence.

#Somaliland: In a bid to de-escalate tensions along their shared border, Somaliland and Ethiopia convened their first official talks in Jigjiga on Friday following deadly clashes in the Dacawalay area of Harshin district, Somali Regional State. pic.twitter.com/A0OTOLzKkp

— Kaab TV (@KaabTV) December 30, 2024

In Hargeisa, Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdillahi Irro visited injured civilians at Hargeisa Hospital and attended the funerals of those killed in the Dacawalay attack. He condemned the violence and emphasized the need for accountability.

Minister Arab also issued a press release condemning the attacks by Liyu Police, calling them a “flagrant violation of human rights and governance principles.” He demanded that those responsible be brought to justice.

The Somali Regional Police, however, defended their actions, claiming they were targeting “terrorist groups” in the area.

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“The government has set a direction to build one strong and centralised army … it has started practical steps that will allow special forces of every region to be integrated into different security structures,” the government said in a statement on Thursday.

Hours before the announcement, local media from the Amhara region, Ethiopia’s second largest, reported clashes between national and regional forces brought about by a refusal among Amhara Special Forces’ units to surrender weapons as part of the integration process.

Gizachew Muluneh, spokesperson for the Amhara region did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In its statement the government confirmed tensions had arisen in Amhara but blamed it on a misunderstanding of the policy and on fringe groups within the regional force.

Amhara forces backed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s federal troops against rebellious forces in northern Tigray when conflict erupted there in 2020.

It is not the first time that unrest has broken out in the region. In May 2022 the former commander of Amhara region’s forces, a prominent critic of Abiy, was arrested.

Back in 2019 an uprising led by a different dissident general killed the regional president and chief of army staff.

Ethiopia is organised in 10 regions that enjoy a degree of autonomy, ranging from having their own regional army to the right to use their own language.

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