15 Dead In Buhoodle Clan Clash

Buhoodle, June 2, 2007 (SL Times) – At least 15 persons were killed in Buhoodle district of Togdheer region in Somaliland after a fire-fight erupted between two local Buhoodle clans yesterday.

The clash started early morning on Thursday, when a local Buhoodle man shot dead another man from another clan in a dispute over land in Buhoodle.

Soon after the incident, a major conflicted erupted between the different clans belonging to the two men involved in the land dispute. The fighting raged for nearly one hour causing fifteen deaths.

The Somaliland former Vice-minister of Livestock, Mr. Ali Ahmed Abdi (Ali Antar), who is from the district of Buhoodle called for the Somaliland traditional leaders to intervene and mediate the two sides.

Mr. Ali said, "I am calling on Somaliland traditional leaders, politicians, political parties, and the government to mediate between the two sides so they could reach a cease fire. Even though the traditional leaders of Las-Anod have already gone there to reconcile the two clans, Somaliland elders should also do the same."

"I am also appealing to the Somaliland government to intervene with its national army forces to prevent further fighting from erupting again," said Mr. Ali Abdi, the former Vice-minister of Livestock.

Mr. Ali emphasized that an immediate cease fire is necessary “otherwise the conflict could escalate and spread to neighboring clans in Sool region.”

Source: Somaliland Times