Thursday July 17, 2025
Garowe (HOL) — Puntland authorities have declared that they
do not recognize the SSC-Khaatumo administration, asserting that there is no
legal basis for a separate regional government representing the Dhulbahante
community.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Puntland Ministry of
Interior acknowledged the Dhulbahante community’s role in the re-liberation of
Las Anod on February 6, 2023, but rejected the creation of an independent
administration in the area.
“The Puntland government clearly states that there is no law
that allows the Dhulbahante community to form a separate administration,” the
ministry said.
The statement emphasized that all clans residing in Sool,
Cayn, and the wider Dhulbahante territories have been integral to Puntland
since its founding in 1998.
Puntland also condemned what it described as interference by
the Federal Government of Somalia in its internal security affairs. The
ministry warned that such actions could destabilize the region and create
openings for terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab and ISIS.
In response, the SSC-Khaatumo administration firmly defended
its legitimacy.
"The existence of SSC is not up for debate," said
SSC-Khaatumo Vice President Dr. Mohamed Ismail Shiine. “The statement from the
Ministry of Interior of Puntland is unfortunate. The SSC-Khaatumo
administration is a member state of the country’s federal system, and no one is
allowed to question its existence.”
The exchange comes amid a high-level conference in Las Anod,
the capital of the Sool region, aimed at finalizing SSC-Khaatumo’s transition
from an interim authority to a full-fledged federal member state. The Federal
Government of Somalia officially recognized SSC-Khaatumo earlier this year
after months of fighting with Somaliland forces and shifting political dynamics
in northern Somalia.