MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Authorities in the self-declared republic of Somaliland have called for a review – and potential reversal- of the United Nations’ decision to lift a decades-long arms embargo on Somalia, warning that weapons delivered to Mogadishu are being used to destabilize the region.
Speaking at a press briefing following a cabinet meeting on Saturday, Somaliland’s Information Minister Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayanle accused the Somali federal government of supplying arms to newly established local authorities in Lasanod – an area at the heart of a contested region between Somaliland and the federal government.
The Somali government is actively arming forces in Lasanod, undermining Somaliland’s peace and sovereignty, Ayanle said. We will not allow the creation of a federal member state within territory we regard as part of Somaliland – even if we do not currently maintain full control over it, he added.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions following the federal government’s recent announcement of a new regional entity, the Northeastern State of Somalia, encompassing the Sool and Sanaag regions – territory long claimed by both Somaliland and the neighbouring Puntland administration, though both have seen diminishing influence in the area.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognised, views the move as a provocative attempt by Mogadishu to extend its authority over disputed regions.
Minister Ayanle further warned that international arms supplies to Somalia could inadvertently fall into the hands of Al-Shabaab or other militant groups, posing a wider threat to the Horn of Africa and beyond.
Puntland has also voiced strong opposition to the new federal state’s formation, aligning with Somaliland in rejecting what they see as an encroachment by the central government into contested territory.
The UN Security Council lifted the arms embargo on Somalia in December 2023, citing progress made in state-building and counter-terrorism. However, critics have expressed concern that the inflow of weapons risks exacerbating existing conflicts and empowering non-state actors.
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