Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Abdillahi Mohammed Duale

Hargeysa, Somaliland, January 05, 2008 – Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Abdillahi Mohammed Duale has accused Abdillahi Yusuf, President of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government, TFG, of trying to create tribal conflicts in Somaliland’s eastern region of Sool.

Responding to a statement by Yusuf that Somaliland troops should leave Puntland, Duale said that Somaliland troops were on their own territory and that Somaliland was duty-bound to maintain its territorial integrity.

“We are aware that Abdillahi Yusuf is sending arms to some of his supporters in the area in order to start a tribal war between the brotherly clans in the area,” he said in a statement to Awdalnews Network, noting that Somaliland government has advised the people in the area not to react to any provocation by what he called Yusuf ‘s bandits.

“I think Abdillahi Yusuf has enough problems in Mogadishu and he doesn’t need to create news ones for himself. He created tribal feud in Mogadishu and he wants to do the same in Somaliland,” he said, noting that Somaliland was a sovereign state and will not allow any interference in its internal affairs.

Sool, the eastern region bordering the autonomous state of Puntland, was brought under Somaliland’s rule recently after officials hailing from Las Anod, Capital of Sool, defected to Somaliland. Las Anod falls in the colonial borders of Somaliland but the natives of the region share clan relations with those in Puntland.

Answering a question why some people did not return to Las Anod after Somaliland’s take over, Duale blamed the plight of these people on Las Anod natives living in the disapora.

“It is some elements in the diaspora who are urging the people not to return to their homes. They are threatening them of withholding remittances if they return to Las Anod. But the people will soon realize the truth and will return to their homes,” he said.

Source: Awdalnews