MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Authorities in the northern Somalia region of SSC-Khatumo on Tuesday freed 25 Somaliland prisoners of war, marking a conciliatory move during a high-profile visit by Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre.
The release, framed as a unilateral goodwill gesture, came at the formal request of Somalia’s federal government, according to SSC leader Abdulkadir Firdhiye. He emphasized that the decision was not part of a prisoner exchange with Somaliland, despite both sides holding hundreds of captives following months of fierce clashes.
The Somali government hopes the move could pave the way for dialogue between SSC-Khatumo and Somaliland, potentially leading to broader negotiations, including a full-scale prisoner swap.
Prime Minister Barre’s presence in Lasanod—a town Somaliland claims but lost control of in early 2023—has drawn sharp condemnation from Hargeisa, which views the visit as a direct challenge to its authority. Somaliland, a self-declared independent region unrecognized internationally, has yet to respond to the prisoner release.
The federal government in Mogadishu sees the gesture as a critical step toward de-escalation, though tensions remain high as both sides dig in over territorial disputes.
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