Las Anod
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Las Anod ( so, Laascaanood; ar, لاسعانود) is the administrative 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 of
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
.Regions of Somalia
/ref>


Territorial dispute

The city is disputed by
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 ...
and
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
. The former bases its claim due to the kinship ties between the
Dhulbahante The Dhulbahante ( so, Dhulbahante, ar, دلبةنتئ) is a Somali clan family, part of the Harti clan which itself belongs to the largest Somali clan-family — the Darod. They are the traditional inhabitants of the physiographic Nugaal in its ...
clan and the dominant clan in Puntland, the Majeerteen, whilst the latter's claim is grounded on the border of the former
British Somaliland British Somaliland, officially the Somaliland Protectorate ( so, Dhulka Maxmiyada Soomaalida ee Biritishka), was a British protectorate in present-day Somaliland. During its existence, the territory was bordered by Italian Somalia, French So ...
Protectorate. The city was the proclaimed capital of Khatumo State throughout its existence until its dissolvement in 2017. Somaliland forces captured the city in the
Battle of Las Anod The Battle of Las Anod saw Somaliland National Army engage Puntland forces in Las Anod, capital of the Sool, Somalia, Sool region. The ensuing battle resulted in Somaliland ousting the Puntland army from the city. Overview Las Anod had until t ...
in 2007, ousting Puntland forces, and has maintained full control of the city in all aspects since. Until now Somaliland governs Las Anod with little legitimacy or popularity, while regular unknown assassinations have deteriorated the security situation. Ahmed Musa reports, the residents of Las Anod have not fully accepted Somaliland's presence in their city:
Somaliland still governs Lasanod with little legitimacy or popularity. This is one reason why Somaliland has to be flexible with respect to tax collection. It cannot impose the full tax code on the Dhulbahante territories because that would only reinforce local people’s existing grievances vis-à-vis Somaliland. Therefore, Somaliland’s reduced taxes (cashuur dhaaf) in the Lasanod areas are one way of garnering, or at least retaining, some level of public acceptance.


History


Pre-independence

On the 31st July 1903, a battle occurred between 30 British scouts and 128
Dervish Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from fa, درویش, ''Darvīsh'') in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity (''tariqah''), or more narrowly to a religious mendicant, who chose or accepted material poverty. The latter usage i ...
scouts, a few miles west of Heli Madu near Las Anod:British war office, 1907, page 392, "As an example of their work, I may mention that a party of 40 mounted Illalos left Bohotle in August, 1903, brushed through a fairly strong party of Dervish Illalos in the vicinity of the Dehjeuner and reconnoitred to about 10 miles east of Beretabli, a distance of 140 miles, the first 80 of which were waterless. ... the illaloes managed to penetrate well within the circle of Dervish karias (or Nomad villages), and succeeded in securing two most useful prisoners, returning with the loss of one man only, having covered a distance of 300 miles in nine days"
"half way between Las Anod and Heli Madu ... they were the advanced scouts of a party of 128 of the Mullah's scouts, mostly spearmen ... the enemy emerged from thick bush. They fought for two hours, the enemy losing many men killed and wounded, the exact number not being known ; the enemy dragged their wounded and dead away.
The motive for this Dervish development was said by Roman Loimeier as caused by how the Dhulbahante had not signed colonial protective treaties (since the Italians considered part of the Dhulbahante as subjects of the Italian-protected Sultan of the Majeerteen), combined with the fear, agitation and anxiety from contemporaneous yearly expedition-raids by marauding Menelik II armies and their pillaging. During the British protectorate era, Las Anod was the capital of the Nogal District, the precursor province of Sool, described by John Hunt as an "entirely Dolbahanta" province.


Post-independence

The United Somali Party was founded in Las Anod with the intention of forming a non- Isaaq axis, due to tensions deriving from the instability in 1954 and 1955. The instability of 1954 was primarily due to camel-rustling between
Dhulbahante The Dhulbahante ( so, Dhulbahante, ar, دلبةنتئ) is a Somali clan family, part of the Harti clan which itself belongs to the largest Somali clan-family — the Darod. They are the traditional inhabitants of the physiographic Nugaal in its ...
and
Habar Jeclo The Habr Je'lo ( so, Habar Jeclo, ar, هبر جعلو , Full Name: ''Mūsa ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad,'' historically known as the Habr Toljaala ( so, Habar Toljeclo) is a major sub-tribe of the wider Isaaq family. Its members form ...
, whilst that of 1955 was due to roaming resulting from droughts that culminated into a war with Dhulbahante on one side battling the two Isaaq clans of Habr Yunis and
Habar Jeclo The Habr Je'lo ( so, Habar Jeclo, ar, هبر جعلو , Full Name: ''Mūsa ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad,'' historically known as the Habr Toljaala ( so, Habar Toljeclo) is a major sub-tribe of the wider Isaaq family. Its members form ...
on the other:
On the 27th of October the District Commissioner Las Anod, completed the hearing of an enquiry into previous unrest in the region... One of those killed was a man of the Habar Yuunis Sa'ad Yuunis who were fighting with the Habar Ja'lo against the Ḍulbahante, and the other a man of the MaḤammad Abokor.
From 1959 until 1961, Las Anod was the seat of
Garad Ali Garad Ali Garad Jama was the 19th garad of the Dhulbahante Garadate, from 1966 until 1985, although he was the effective supreme Garad of the Dhulbahante The Dhulbahante ( so, Dhulbahante, ar, دلبةنتئ) is a Somali clan family, part of th ...
's USP party. With Las Anod as its seat, Garad Ali's USP party formed a coalition consisting of the Warsangeli, Gadabuursi and Dhulbahante clans. In the previous six years, Ali's father Garad Farah, was in self-induced exile in Mogadishu:
Ali Gerad Jama , the university - educated son of the Gerad ( chief ) Jama Farah ( who went into voluntary exile in Mogadiscio from 1952 to 1958 as a result of his conflict with the British administration ) provided the main drive behind the party.
On October 15, 1969, whilst paying a visit to the city, Somali President
Abdirashid Ali Shermarke Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke ( so, Cabdirashiid Cali Sharmaarke, ar, عبد الرشيد علي شارماركي) (8 June 1919 – 15 October 1969), also known as Abdirashid Shermarke, was Prime Minister of Somali Republic from 12 July 1960, to 14 J ...
was shot dead by one of his own bodyguards. His assassination was quickly followed by a military
coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
on October 21, 1969 (the day after his funeral), in which the
Somali Military The Somali Armed Forces are the military forces of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Headed by the president as commander-in-chief, they are constitutionally mandated to ensure the nation's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Ch ...
seized power without encountering armed opposition — essentially a bloodless takeover. The putsch was spearheaded by Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, who at the time commanded the army.Moshe Y. Sachs, ''Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations'', Volume 2, (Worldmark Press: 1988), p.290. Initially, there was cordiality between the SYL party (
Somali Youth League The Somali Youth League (SYL) ( so, Ururka Dhalinyarada Soomaaliyeed رابطة الشباب الصومالي, it, Lega dei Giovani Somali or ''Lega Somala della Gioventù''), initially known as the Somali Youth Club (SYC), was the first polit ...
) and the northern Harti-dominated USP party; for instance the parties held joint conferences across Somalia and together expressed support for Somalia's new constitution in 1960. However, post independence, Las Anod has had a history of suspicion of centralized politics, including against the unitary and Somali nationalist platform of the Somali Youth League (SYL). For example, in the 1960s, five SYL officials were killed within the city. Towards the end of the decade 16 people were once against killed when the SYL party supporters staged in the city. Throughout the 21st century, Las Anod has been described as the only city in the Horn of Africa wherein the population's dignitaries are regularly assassinated without a culprit, suspect or defendant being named, including the extolled influencer Cabdirisaaq Cardoofe, assassinated in 2021.


Politics

Las Anod is the centre of political power of the
Dhulbahante The Dhulbahante ( so, Dhulbahante, ar, دلبةنتئ) is a Somali clan family, part of the Harti clan which itself belongs to the largest Somali clan-family — the Darod. They are the traditional inhabitants of the physiographic Nugaal in its ...
clan. As of 2021, Las Anod constituents are represented by 12 members parliament representing
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 ...
elected in the Somaliland parliamentary elections. With nominal participation in the Somaliland elections, a mere 5 representatives hail from the
Dhulbahante The Dhulbahante ( so, Dhulbahante, ar, دلبةنتئ) is a Somali clan family, part of the Harti clan which itself belongs to the largest Somali clan-family — the Darod. They are the traditional inhabitants of the physiographic Nugaal in its ...
which almost exclusively inhabit the Sool region. From the 2005
parliamentary A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...
elections onwards, the Isaaq clans in
Aynaba District Aynabo District ( so, Degmada Caynaba), colloquially known as Sarar ( so, Saraar), is a district in the northern Sool region of Somaliland. Its capital lies at Aynabo. Other settlements in the district includes Wadaamagoo, War Idaad, Berkad Al ...
have benefited disproportionally from the absence of this community. Hoehne explains: Additionally, residents are represented by 13 local councillors elected in the Somaliland municipal elections. In the 2021
parliamentary A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...
and
municipal A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
elections about 100,000 residents registered to vote across the Sool region with a thin majority registering in the capital Las Anod. This was a dismal voter turnout as the acceptance of Somaliland’s presence in the eastern regions remains uneven. The Crisis Group reports:
Abdirisak Khalif Abdirisak Khalif Ahmed ( so, Cabdirisaaq Khaliif Axmed) is a Somali politician, and is the current speaker of Somaliland's Lower House of Parliament (House of Representatives). He previously served as Somaliland's Minister of Commerce during the ...
who hails from Las Anod was also selected as the speaker of Somaliland's
house of representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
in the same year.


Geography

Las Anod is strategically positioned in the
Nugaal Valley The Nugaal Valley ( so, Dooxada Nugaal, ar, وادي نوجال), also called the Nogal Valley, is a long and broad valley located in northern Somalia and Somaliland. The Nugaal Valley is bounded to the north by the '' Sorl'', or '' Nugal Plat ...
and along the trade routes in
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
and
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 ...
. The city is almost surrounded by hills and has considerable water resources, the latter of which makes it a prime destination for peoples from other parts of generally arid regions within
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
as well as from neighboring countries such as
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constitut ...
,
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...
and
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
.


Economy

Evictions carried out in 2021 were reportedly due to business rivalries between locals and residents from
South West State of Somalia The South-West State of Somalia ( so, Goboleedka Koonfur Galbeed ee Soomaaliya, Maay Maay: ''Koofur Orsi''), is a Federal Member State in southwestern Somalia. It was founded by Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud, leader of the Somalia RRA on 1 ...
. According to a recent research report, the
Berbera Berbera (; so, Barbara, ar, بربرة) is the capital of the Sahil region of Somaliland and is the main sea port of the country. Berbera is a coastal city and was the former capital of the British Somaliland protectorate before Hargeisa. I ...
and
Bosaso Bosaso ( so, Boosaaso, ar, بوصاصو), historically known as Bender Cassim is a city in the northeastern Bari province ('' gobol'') of Somalia. It is the seat of the Bosaso District. Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, the mu ...
ports are the main sources of commodities that arrive in Las Anod:


Demographics

According to the
UNFPA The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies a ...
2014 population estimate the Las Anod District has an estimated population of 156,438 inhabitants. The city is primarily inhabited by people from the
Somali Somali may refer to: Horn of Africa * Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region ** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis ** Somali culture ** Somali cuisine ** Somali language, a Cushitic language ** Somali ...
ethnic group, in particular by the
Dhulbahante The Dhulbahante ( so, Dhulbahante, ar, دلبةنتئ) is a Somali clan family, part of the Harti clan which itself belongs to the largest Somali clan-family — the Darod. They are the traditional inhabitants of the physiographic Nugaal in its ...
sub-clan of the Harti
Darod The Darod ( so, Daarood, ar, دارود) is a Somali clan. The forefather of this clan was Sheikh Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, more commonly known as ''Darood''. The clan primarily settles the apex of the Horn of Africa and its peripheries ...
.Roble, Faisal (22 October 2007
"Somaliland: Is Invading Los Anod Part of Creating 'New Reality on the Ground'"?
''WardheerNews.Com''
The ''gaashaanbuur'' subclan of ''
Shiikhyaale Haroun, also called Fadhiweyn, and natively transliterated as Xarunta in Somali, was a government and headquarters of the Dervishes, headed by Faarax Mahmud Sugulle. According to Claude Edward Marjoribanks Dansey, the political officer in the ...
'' especially well represented.Taariikhdii daraawiishta iyo Sayid Maxamad Cabdille Xasan, PAGE 176, 2005 The Fiqishini (
Hawiye The Hawiye ( so, Hawiye, ar, بنو هوية, it, Hauija) is the largest Somali clan family. Members of this clan traditionally inhabit central and southern Somalia, Somaliland, Ethiopia (Somali, Harar, Oromia and Afar regions) and the Nort ...
) which at times form part of Baho Nugaaled are also present in Las Anod. In the 1950s,
Ioan Lewis Ioan Myrddin Lewis FBA (January 30, 1930 – March 14, 2014), popularly known as I. M. Lewis, was a professor emeritus of anthropology at the London School of Economics. Early life and education Born in Scotland to a Welsh father and a Scottish ...
described the lineage cleavage running through the city as follows:


Education

Las Anod has numerous primary schools which include both private and public. Currently there are 6 Primary Schools in the city of Las Anod; Gol Khatumo, Gateway, Abyan, Ilays, Imam Shafi and Sool primary schools. Secondary school education is provided by Ilays Educational Academy, Muse Yusuf and Nugaal High Schools. Founded in 2004,
Nugaal University Nugaal University is a university in Las Anod, Sool , Somalia. It was established in 2004 with the purpose of providing higher education to the residents of Sool , Cayn and Sanaag. The university is a member of the Association of Arab Universiti ...
(NU) is the first post-secondary institution of higher learning to be established in the area. The first group of four-year Nugaal University students graduated in September 2009. Also there are
Ilays National University Ilays National University (INU), is a university in Las Anod, Somaliland. The university was established by Prof. Tungub, who at first set up the Ilays Educational Academy. INU was officially formed in 2012 with the purpose of providing higher e ...
and Gollis University both established in Las Anod in 2015. There are also a number of academic institutions in Las Anod which provide diverse education services such as Sool Institute of Heath Sciences (SIHS), Al-Furqan Islamic Institute, Sahal Software College, Future Technology Center etc.


Climate

Las Anod has a
hot arid climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''BWh'') with consistently very warm to hot temperatures and almost no rainfall except erratically in May and October.


Culture


Media

There are many media companies whom operated in Las Anod in the 2010s, including Somnews, SBS, Radio Las Anod, Universal TV.


Notable residents

* Rooda Xassan, designer of
Khatumo Khatumo State ( so, Khaatumo; ar, ولاية خاتمة, translit=wilāyat khātimah), officially the Khatumo State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Khaatumo ee Soomaaliya), was a successor to the SSC Movement. Centred on the Sool, Sanaag re ...
flag *
Abdi Bile Abdi Bile ( so, Cabdi Bile Cabdi, ar, عبد بلي عبد ; born 28 December 1962) is a former middle distance runner. He holds the highest number of national records in athletics in Somalia across various disciplines. He is currently Somalia' ...
, world champion long distance athlete * Abdinasir Ali Hassan, entrepreneur and CEO of
Hass Petroleum HASS or HASS Petroleum is a privately owned oil marketing company headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. History Hass Petroleum was founded in 1997 by two brothers, Abdirizak Ali Hassan and sitting Chairman Abdinasir Ali Hassan. The current CEO is Moha ...
*
Abdirisak Khalif Abdirisak Khalif Ahmed ( so, Cabdirisaaq Khaliif Axmed) is a Somali politician, and is the current speaker of Somaliland's Lower House of Parliament (House of Representatives). He previously served as Somaliland's Minister of Commerce during the ...
, current Speaker of the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
of
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
* Abdirahman Mohamed Abdi Hashi, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources of
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constitut ...
*
Ali Khalif Galaydh Ali Khalif Galaydh ( so, Cali Khalif Galaydh, ar, علي خليف غلير) (15 October 1941 – 8 October 2020) was a Somali politician. He was the Prime Minister of the transitional Somalia administration from 8 October 2000 to 28 October 2001. ...
, President of Khaatumo State and Former Prime Minister of Somalia * Bashe Mohamed Farah, former Speaker of
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
House of Representatives * Eng Mohamed Isse Lacle, Colonel in the
Somali Navy The Somali Navy ( so, Ciidamada Badda Soomaaliyeed, ar, القوات البحرية الصومالية ''Al-Quwwat al-Bahriyah as-Sumaliyah'') is the naval warfare service branch of the Somali Armed Forces. During the post-independence period, t ...
and Former Deputy Minister of Ministry of Ports in
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
*''
Garad Garad ( Harari: ገራድ, , , Oromo: ''Garaada'') is a term used to refer to a clan leader or regional administrator. It was used primarily by Muslims in the Horn of Africa that were associated with Islamic states, most notably the Adal Sultanat ...
'' Jama Garad Ali, Dhulbahante clan chief *
Hodan Nalayeh Hodan Nalayeh ( so, Hodan Naaleeye; ar, هودان نلايا; 1976 – July 12, 2019) was a Somali-Canadian media executive, marketing consultant, social activist and entrepreneur. She was president of the Cultural Integration Agency and vice ...
, TV host and journalist
Media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...
* Mohamed Abdi Hashi, former Chairman USP & Vice President of
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 ...
* Abdi Hassan Mohamed, Incumbent Police Commissioner of the Somali Police Force.


References

{{Authority control Populated places in Sool, Somaliland