The Battle of Las Anod saw
Somaliland National Army
The Somaliland National Army ( so, Ciidanka Qaranka Somaliland, ar, الجيش صوماليلاندي), is the land force and largest branch of the Somaliland Armed Forces is based in the Somaliland capital of Hargeisa. There are approximately 1 ...
engage
Puntland
Puntland ( so, Puntland, ar, أرض البنط, it, Terra di Punt or ''Paese di Punt''), officially the Puntland State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Puntland ee Soomaaliya, ar, ولاية أرض البنط الصومالية), is a F ...
forces in
Las Anod
Las Anod ( so, Laascaanood; ar, لاسعانود) is the administrative capital of the Sool, Somaliland, Sool region of Somaliland.
Territorial dispute
The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the ki ...
, capital of the
Sool
Sool ( so, Sool, ar, صول) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in south eastern Somaliland/north western Somalia. It borders Togdheer to the west, Sanaag to the north, Ethiopia to the south and Nugal, Bari to the east. Its capital city ...
region. The ensuing battle resulted in Somaliland ousting the Puntland army from the city.
Overview
Las Anod had until then been controlled by Puntland, who took control of the regional capital in 2002.
Somaliland had however been aiding local clan militias opposed to Puntland presence in the city. The clan militias were loyal to
Ahmed Abdi Habsade
Ahmad ( ar, أحمد, ʾAḥmad) is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other spellings of the name include Ahmed and Ahmet.
Etymology
The word derives from the root (ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from the ve ...
, a former Puntland minister who later on defected to Somaliland.
Battle
In October 2007, the conflict mushroomed into a regional conflict over control of the city of
Las Anod
Las Anod ( so, Laascaanood; ar, لاسعانود) is the administrative capital of the Sool, Somaliland, Sool region of Somaliland.
Territorial dispute
The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the ki ...
, as Somaliland regular army forces mobilized from their base in the town of
Adhicadeeye, west of the city, and entered the conflict. Puntland was slow to mobilize a counter-attack, as Puntland's weak economy and overstretched military obligations in
Mogadishu
Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Oc ...
prevented a rapid response. After assuming control of the city on October 15th, Somaliland moved Sool's regional administration into Las Anod. Between 10 and 20 people were reported to be dead.
See also
*
Battle of Tukaraq
The Battle of Tukaraq saw Somaliland National Army engage Puntland forces in Tukaraq, a town in the eastern Sool region, on the road between the regional capitals of Las Anod and Garowe. The ensuing heavy clashes resulted in Somaliland ousting th ...
*
2010 Ayn Clashes
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1 ...
References
{{reflist
2007 in Somaliland
Conflicts in 2007