Somaliland: fighting between Somaliland forces and tribal leadership claims civilian lives and puts hospitals out of action

Since the beginning of February 2023, AOAV has recorded 15 alleged incidents of explosive weapon use in Las Anod, Somaliland, and at least claimed 756 casualties, based on reporting in credible English language media sources including Reuters and Associated Press.

Of these, 148 have been reported killed, and 608 injured. 

In April, Amnesty International reported: “More than 100 people have been killed and over 600 injured including dozens of civilians amid fighting between Somaliland security forces and armed fighters affiliated with the Dhulbahante clan in Las Anod, Amnesty International said today, as it shares findings that Somaliland security forces indiscriminately shelled the town, damaging hospitals, schools and mosques, killing and injuring civilians, and displacing tens of thousands of people.”

Somaliland is an autonomous region in northern Somalia, which broke away and declared independence from Somalia in 1991. Though no foreign power recognises Somaliland’s sovereignty, it functions as a self-governing territory with an independent government and democratic elections. Some Somalilanders claim that Somaliland has never been part of Somalia.

Overall, Somaliland has been more stable than Somalia, with less armed group activity recorded in the region. However, tensions between Somaliland forces and local tribal leadership have been escalating since December last year, when protests calling for reunification with Somalia began.  Early in February 2023, elders in three provinces of Somaliland – Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC) – announced they wanted to rejoin Somalia. They issued a statement pledging support for Somalia’s federal government, and declared the SSC as part of Somalia, deeming the presence of the Somaliland administration illegal.

Heavy fighting, including the use of artillery shells, mortar shells, and rocket-propelled grenades, broke out on February 6. Since then, hospitals, schools, and residential areas in the city have repeatedly been shelled, reportedly predominantly by the Somaliland forces. The intensity of the fighting has ranged from long-range shelling from the Somaliland Base, to invasion tactics and urban warfare.

Somalianders have disputed the reported figures, but the media organisations that AOAV takes its data from are established media providers. We only based our findings on their reports.

Overall, since 2010 AOAV has recorded 19 incidents of explosive weapons use in Somaliland, and 775 claimed civilians harmed (148 killed, 627 injured). 54 armed actor casualties have also been recorded in the region, 50 of whom were reported killed, and four injured. 

AOAV’s casualty figures represent the lowest of estimations in terms of the number of people killed and injured by explosive weapon use. In an effort to quantify the explicit harm caused by specific explosive weapons, AOAV solely records incident-specific casualty figures, as reported in English-language media.

AOAV condemns the use of violence against civilians and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. All actors should stop using explosive weapons with wide-area effects where there is likely to be a high concentration of civilians.

This article was edited on the 5 June 2023 to give more context to AOAV’s methodology.

Did you find this story interesting? Please support AOAV's work and donate.
Donate