According to local reports, a new outbreak of violent combat erupted on the outskirts of Laascaanood, the seat of the Sool Region, on Sunday, between Somaliland troops and Dhulbahante clan militants.
Residents reported hearing gunfire, especially heavy artillery, coming from the battlefields surrounding the neighbourhood.
While information concerning deaths are unknown, Somaliland troops have been claimed to have launched artillery strikes on neighbourhoods within Laascaanood.
Both sides have been actively preparing for battle, with Somaliland aiming to recover Laascaanood and Dhulbahante clan members aiming to conquer Gooja-Adde, the principal base of the Somaliland army located on the city’s outskirts.
This latest conflict comes only two weeks after the United Nations Security Council issued a statement requesting Somaliland to evacuate its soldiers from Laascaanood quickly.
The Security Council urged all parties to exercise patience and desist from activities that might incite violence or exacerbate tensions.
According to humanitarian agencies, the Laascaanood war, which began on February 6, has led in over 100 civilian fatalities and the displacement of approximately 200,000 people.
Somaliland, which has seceded from the rest of Somalia, claims Laascaanood as part of its territory, while the Dhulbahante tribe calls for Somali unity.