How President Rayale Escaped Assassination In Las-Anod

Attack allegedly planned by Abdillahi Yusuf with the blessing of Qassim Salad

staff reporter

The Somaliland Times has learnt that the assassination attempt carried out against Somaliland President Dahir Rayale Kahin last Saturday morning in Las-Anod, was actually planned by Puntland’s warlord Abdillahi Yusuf. According to reliable information obtained by the Somaliland Times, Abdillahi Yusuf has been contemplating the assassination of President Rayale since early November 2002.

Following the arrival of a Somaliland peace mission consisting of at least 20 prominent elders, politicians and military officers in Las-Anod, some 3 months ago, the Puntland warlord began to worry that his influence in the Sool region might dwindle as a result of the visit. As the Somaliland peace mission succeeded in negotiating a peaceful settlement of a number of disputes between tribal subgroups living in the area, Abdillahi Yusuf saw these developments as a blow to his reputation in the eyes of his fellow Darod Harti subclan - the Dhulbahante.

By the end of October 2002, the Puntland warlord was in Eldoret, Kenya, to attend the Somalia reconciliation conference. Both Abdillahi Yusuf and Abdiqassim were angered by the understanding that Somaliland received from western diplomats in Nairobi when it refused to attend the conference. Abdillahi Yusuf thought that the position of the diplomats might pave the way for Somaliland’s recognition which would subsequently enable it to exercise full sovereignty over Sool and eastern Sanag.

Abdi Qassim also opposes Somaliland’s recognition as he sees it as a step that would deprive him of the support of Arab governments. It was because of this common interest that Abdi Qassim ordered his Prime Minister Hassan Abshir (who is originally from Puntland) to make contacts with Abdillahi Yusuf by any means in order to cement a joint effort to "stop Somaliland."

Hassan Abshir, a fellow Majerteen who loathes Abdillahi Yusuf had reluctantly agreed to send "feelers" to Abdillahi Yusuf. The two men later met in a hotel at Eldoret. Their only topic of discussion was Somaliland. An agreement of four points then emerged:

To strengthen Abdillahi Yusuf’s position in Sool and eastern Sanag.
To sabotage Somaliland elections lest the international community consider recognizing Somaliland if the elections were carried out successfully.
Print false Somaliland bank notes abroad in order to destabilize Somaliland economically and politically.
Military actions.

The prime minister of the Arta faction committed his group to meet at least 50% of the funds needed to finance the plan. He also promised to mobilize Arab diplomatic support. Abdillahi Yusuf agreed to carry out the implementation aspects of the plan. He immediately left Kenya for Bossasso. Upon arrival, he convened a meeting with Ahmed Habsade, his interior minister from Sool. Abdillahi Yusuf then bluntly told Habsade to organize the assassination of President Rayale and make sure it is carried out as soon as he arrives in Las-Anod. Habsade enthusiastically accepted the mission. He even admitted in a BBC interview (Somali section) last Saturday evening that he gave the orders to shoot at the delegation saying, "I cannot go to Boroma why he [Rayale] should come to Las-Anod."

The following story tells how President Rayale escaped the assassination plot:

It was 9:30am last Saturday when President Rayale’s caravan of vehicles reached Las-Anod, the capital of Somaliland’s Sool region. The Somaliland President was there to begin a long-awaited visit to the region. Before leaving Hargeisa Friday night, the Somaliland Times learnt that Puntland’s warlord, Abdillahi Yusuf, was up to something. As published in last Saturday’s edition of the Times, he has been massing troops at the border with Somaliland with the intention of foiling President Rayale’s visit to the area. No sooner than President Rayale’s entourage entered Las-Anod, sporadic gunshots were fired by militiamen belonging to Abdillahi Yusuf. Some of the shots were aimed at the President’s car. His bodyguards however returned fire several times before the convoy of delegates reached the premises where they were supposed to stay during the visit, a Guest House villa 2km to south west of the town.

At around 2:30pm, the Guest House came under attack. Three Technicals, including one mounted with a B10 anti-tank gun that just arrived from Garowe started firing on the visiting delegation. It didn’t take much for the 50-men strong presidential guards, many of whom fought for the SNM during the eighties, to realize that the thrust of fire was aimed at Mr. Rayale’s chamber in the Guest House. Detecting the immediate danger to the life of the President, Rayale’s presidential guards quickly took combat positions, returning fire. In less than 30 minutes, the attackers had been overcome. One of Abdillahi Yusuf’s combat vehicles took a direct hit from a Jeep mounted 106mm artillery. The two remaining Technicals hastily retreated toward Garowe after their crew had also sustained losses. A number of infantrymen from the Garowe militia also went along the 2 evacuating vehicles. Others just dispersed in town.

The Presidential guards also took the Las-Anod police station, until then a source of a lot of gunfire. Abdillahi Yusuf’s force suffered at least 10 people killed and a yet unidentified number wounded. Among those killed in the fighting was Ahmed Essa (Sarweyn), the Abdillahi Yusuf appointed Governor of Sool. The casualties of the Somaliland side were 4 wounded. By 4 o’clock however, President Rayale decided that he and members of his delegation should leave Las-Anod to Ainabo, Sool, about 125km to the west. Many of the delegates however voiced their opposition to the President’s decision. Some of the ministers suggested instead that a contingent of well-armed Somaliland troops stationed at Yagoori, about 50km to the west, be called in, to bring Las-Anod under control and thwart any possible attacks from Garowe.

Explaining that as President he felt concerned over the safety of the innocent civilian population in the town, Mr. Rayale over-ruled all other counter-proposals. He personally informed his unit of security guards to prepare for evacuation and prevailed. At around quarter to 5, the President and accompanying delegates who included, at least 10 ministers, left Las-Anod. Instead of taking the tarmac road westward to Ainabo, they went out of town by turning southwest for security reasons. They however reentered the tarmac after circumventing a part of it to avoid possible ambushes and then headed for Ainabo. The President spent the night at Ainabo before going to Erigavo the next day. He was warmly welcomed in Erigavo and later on in both Buroa and Berbera.On Thursday morning, the President returned to Hargeisa to a hero’s welcome.

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