HARGEISA– Somaliland has officially withdrawn from ongoing dialogue with the Federal Government of Somalia following what it termed a “provocative and unlawful” visit by Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre to Lasanood, the capital of the contested Sool region, on April 12, 2025.
A statement issued by the breakaway region’s information ministry after its Cabinet meeting in Hargeisa said that Somalia has “unambiguously” abandoned the path of peaceful coexistence and dialogue.
It said that Barre’s recent visit to Las Anod was a “calculated provocation” and a direct violation to its territory.
“The Council of Ministers has resolved to formally withdraw from all ongoing dialogue with Somalia, effective April 16, 2025,” the statement said.
The Somali government officially recognized SSC-Khaatumo as a federal member state Tuesday after the prime minister’s historic visit to Las Anod.
“We assert that the territories governed by the SSC-Khaatumo administration are integral to Somalia and should not be referred to as disputed areas,” Somalia said.
Somaliland accused Mogadishu of abandoning the path of peaceful coexistence and dialogue, framing the visit as part of a broader political and military escalation in the eastern regions of the self-declared republic.
“The actions of the Prime Minister constitute a direct threat to regional stability and are aimed at inciting conflict,” read the statement from the Somaliland Council of Ministers. “Somaliland has prioritized peace since the inauguration of its President in December 2024. However, the continued aggression from Somalia has made further dialogue untenable.”
The statement further clarified that no negotiations had taken place regarding the release of detainees recently transferred to Mogadishu by the Somali Prime Minister, asserting that the individuals in question were not prisoners of war. Instead, the government framed their transfer as a political stunt to mask internal failures within the Somali administration.
BREAKING: Somaliland suspends talks with #Somalia, citing Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s visit to SSC-Khatumo as an infringement on its "territorial sovereignty."
The move marks a significant escalation in tensions between the two sides. pic.twitter.com/nsyJNKJhCk
— Frontier Online (@FrontierOnlineK) April 16, 2025
Somaliland emphasized that it had engaged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and international diplomatic partners—including the United States, United Kingdom, Denmark, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates—to seek a lawful and transparent solution to detainee issues.
The government reaffirmed its openness to prisoner exchanges under internationally recognized protocols, facilitated by neutral entities like the ICRC.
The dispute centers on the long-contested Sool region, particularly the areas under SSC-Khatumo administration. While Somaliland regards these territories as integral parts of its sovereign domain, Somalia asserts federal authority over the region.
The Prime Minister’s declaration of Lasanood as part of Somalia’s federal system was met with alarm and dismay in Hargeisa, where officials viewed the move as a declaration of open hostility.
Somaliland, which unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has operated with de facto autonomy for over three decades, though it remains unrecognized internationally. Talks with Somalia over the years have aimed at resolving the status of Somaliland, but progress has often been derailed by mistrust, political interference, and regional instability.
The withdrawal from talks marks a sharp downturn in relations between the two administrations and raises concerns of renewed conflict in the already volatile Sool region, where tensions have simmered for years between unionist and pro-Somaliland factions.
Whether international mediation can bring both sides back to the table remains uncertain. But as of now, the path forward appears fraught with deepening distrust and a growing risk of armed confrontation.
