2007, Somaliland’s forces triumphantly entered Las Anod, a town in the disputed Sool region, marking the beginning of a new chapter to the city and its residents. Over the next sixteen years, Somaliland poured resources into transforming this once-neglected town into a thriving urban center. Potable piped water, modern infrastructure, fully-equipped hospitals, boarding schools, and universities helped shape Las Anod into a place of opportunity and progress. The investments were a lifeline for a town that had long languished in neglect, enabling its residents to aspire to a brighter future.
Las Anod became a symbol of Somaliland’s ambition for regional growth and stability, a beacon of progress in the contested territory’s heart. However, behind the facade of development, deep-rooted tensions simmered, and by late 2022, those tensions exploded into violence, leading to a full-blown rebellion that culminated in Somaliland’s humiliating withdrawal from the town in August 2023.
Somaliland’s Investment in Development
For over a decade, Somaliland’s administration worked to build a modern Las Anod, a town that had long been viewed as peripheral to the core regions of the breakaway state. What was once a dilapidated collection of buildings became a city with paved roads, street lighting, and a public water system that many other towns in the Horn of Africa could only dream of. Education flourished as boarding schools and primary and secondary schools sprouted, and universities opened their doors to future generations. Healthcare services also blossomed; new hospitals offered modern medical care, reducing the region’s dependency on far-flung cities for treatment.
The town’s development was an unmistakable sign of Somaliland’s commitment to strengthening its hold over the Sool region. By investing in infrastructure and services, Somaliland hoped to win the loyalty of Las Anod’s residents, who had historically been sceptical of the government’s authority.
Yet, despite the tangible improvements, the seeds of discontent were being sown.
Extremist Influence and Political Opportunism
While Somaliland was building the city’s infrastructure, forces working against the government were infiltrating the population, laying the groundwork for future rebellion. Extremist elements, including Al-Shabaab sleeper cells, quietly made their way into Las Anod. These groups began a slow but deliberate campaign of manipulation, targeting the town’s most vulnerable residents to dupe a hapless population to believe that Somaliland security elements were picking off the cream of their society despite the preposterousness of the idea. Over time, these extremists planted the idea that Somaliland’s government was not a force for good but an oppressive regime that had overstayed its welcome. The narrative began to shift, and skepticism of the government grew.
Compounding this, local political factions within Somaliland saw an opportunity to turn the growing unrest to their advantage. One opposition party in particular began stoking anti-government sentiment, amplifying grievances and fanning the flames of rebellion. These political actors saw an opportunity to undermine Somaliland’s ruling party by aligning themselves with elements pushing for autonomy or a break from Somaliland altogether.
The situation became untenable as a series of high-profile assassinations rocked the town. Key figures in Las Anod’s society—business leaders, intellectuals, and elders—were systematically eliminated, with the blame squarely placed on Somaliland’s security forces. As the killings continued, anger toward the government reached a fever pitch, and extremist elements capitalized on the chaos, deepening the divide between Las Anod’s residents and the government.
From Protest to War
By December 2022, tensions had reached a boiling point. The assassination of a local politician sparked violent protests, with demonstrators clashing with Somaliland security forces. The town was in turmoil, and the unrest quickly spiraled out of control. Dhulbahante clan leaders, who had long harbored suspicions about Somaliland’s intentions, declared that the town would no longer recognize Somaliland’s authority. In early 2023, they proclaimed the creation of the SSC-Khatumo state, aligning themselves with Somalia and rejecting Somaliland’s sovereignty.
Somaliland’s forces, confident they could quash the rebellion, launched a military campaign to regain control of Las Anod. What followed was a brutal and protracted conflict, as Dhulbahante militias, bolstered by support from Puntland and Somalia, put up fierce resistance. For nearly 20 days, Las Anod became a war zone, with house-to-house combat devastating the town. Somaliland’s military strategy, initially focused on quickly reclaiming the city, devolved into indiscriminate shelling as militias outgunned their forces. The fighting displaced over 185,000 of an estimated total town population of around 200 000 to 250000 people, most of whom fled to seek refuge in neighbouring areas.
Las Anod Falls to Chaos
In August 2023, after months of intense fighting and mounting casualties, Somaliland’s forces were forced to retreat from Las Anod, marking the end of the government’s 16-year control over the town. The withdrawal was a moment of reckoning for Somaliland, whose investments in Las Anod had been undone by the very forces it had sought to protect the town from.
As Somaliland troops withdrew, the town was left in the hands of militias, war profiteers, and extremists who quickly moved to fill the power vacuum. The artificially germinated, fictionally conceived, ‘politically encouraged (at certain quarter) soon turned into a revolution of a kind and ethnic hatred the likes of which were last seen in the late ’80s in Somaliland, leaving the town a desolate image of its former self. The emerged groups began exploiting the ensuing chaos, making millions of dollars off the misery of the displaced population. Hospitals, schools, and businesses that had been symbols of the town’s progress were left in ruins. Las Anod, once a beacon of Somaliland’s regional ambitions, was now a battleground for competing interests.
Extremists, to make matters worse, turned the area into a no-man’s land that opened up to extremists as training grounds in the guise of building clan militias. Known Shabab leaders such as one Abdi-Madoobe openly preach invasions into other Somaliland regions to spread the chaos and lawlessness further calling himself the Chief of Staff of the SSC Dervishes.
Clash of Visions Over Spoils
The dispute between Garad Jama Garad Ismail and Garad Jama Garad Ali, two influential leaders in the Las Anod rebellion, underscores the evolving political landscape in the Sool region, where clan allegiances and aspirations for autonomy have come into sharp focus. Garad Jama Garad Ismail advocates for Sool’s alignment with the Federal Government of Somalia, envisioning the region as an autonomous federal state under Mogadishu’s jurisdiction. This move would allow for self-governance within the larger framework of a unified Somalia, rather than being part of Somaliland, which has long sought independence. Ismail’s position, however, is as unworkable as that of his opponent since the SSC jurisdiction of territories does not comply with federal constitutional parameters. SSC does not control even one full region let alone the two and half the Somalia constitutes stipulates.
On the other hand, Garad Jama Garad Ali argues for a different strategy, one rooted in pragmatism and regional alliances. He contends that SSC (Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn) cannot stand alone as an independent entity and should instead join forces with Puntland, a region largely controlled by the Harti-Darod clan, to which the Dhulbahante belong. Ali’s argument leans on the shared cultural and clan ties between SSC and Puntland, advocating for greater cooperation and integration with Puntland’s governance structure as a way to bolster regional strength against external threats, particularly from Somaliland forces.
This difference in strategic visions has led to a significant rift, with Ismail’s vision seen as a path toward federalism within Somalia, while Ali’s approach is more about consolidating power within a broader clan-based alliance. The discourse reflects deeper clan dynamics, where allegiances are shaped by both historical grievances and the current political realities on the ground. As both leaders push their respective agendas, the situation risks escalating into a broader clan-driven conflict, especially as external actors such as Puntland play a role in influencing the outcome. The ongoing war of words between these two leaders is reflective of the broader complexities in Somali politics, where clan affiliations, territorial control, and the struggle for autonomy intersect
Moreover, most of the Dhulbahante now believe that Garad Jama Ali (dubbed by many as the ‘illegitimate Garad’) got unbelievably rich by projecting himself as the ultimate leader of the SSC rising from a one-suit village chief to a jet-hopping millionaire living off the contributions that poured into his accounts to finance a SSC state.
The Role of International Actors
The international community, particularly Western countries and development partners inadvertently exacerbated the situation. While well-meaning, their calls for peace and human rights often appeared to side with the insurgents, providing tacit support for the rebellion. International aid that was meant to alleviate suffering sometimes ended up reinforcing the insurgents’ control over the region. The perception of foreign involvement, particularly by Somaliland, added another layer of complexity to the conflict, further complicating efforts for reconciliation.
A Region Wound Back in Time
Today, the Las Anod and Sool region that Somaliland once knew is no more. The town’s development clock has been wound back by decades. The schools, hospitals, and infrastructure that once made the town a regional success story have been destroyed or abandoned. Somaliland, having poured so much into the town’s development, sees the rebellion as a deep betrayal, and reconciliation seems far off. The people of Las Anod, now under the rule of militias and insurgents, face a precarious future as they navigate a new reality defined by instability and violence.
The involvement of Puntland and Somalia, both of whom played significant roles in the rebellion, has further complicated the situation. The town, once a part of Somaliland’s fold, is now a pawn in a larger geopolitical struggle between Somaliland, Puntland, and Somalia. False accusations, regional alliances, and the desire for territorial control have turned Las Anod into a symbol of the fragility of progress in the Horn of Africa.
Can Las Anod Be Saved?
Despite the devastation, there remains a glimmer of hope for reconciliation. A mutually acceptable path forward will require both sides—Somaliland and the people of Las Anod—to come to the table with a willingness to address their grievances. Somaliland could look to traditional conflict resolution mechanisms, rooted in the region’s history, as a way to rebuild trust. Offering a pathway to reintegration, with guarantees of local governance and representation, might help ease tensions
For the people of Las Anod, the rejection of extremist influence and the embrace of dialogue with Somaliland may be the only way to restore peace and stability to their town. The international community, for its part, must ensure that its interventions are balanced and do not inadvertently support militancy or further inflame the conflict.
In the end, the tragedy of Las Anod serves as a reminder of how fragile development and stability can be. In the blink of an eye, years of progress were undone, and a once-thriving town was plunged into chaos. If Somaliland and the people of Sool can find a way to bridge their differences, perhaps Las Anod can rise from the ashes and once again become a beacon of hope in a region too often defined by conflict.
