The US diplomatic mission in Somalia sought a “immediate” unconditional cease-fire in the northern Somali town of Lasanod on Thursday.
The remarks occurred after a mission delegation led by Chargé d’Affaires Tim Trenkle landed in Hargeisa, Somaliland, and had a series of political and civil society conversations.
The group spoke with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi on the incident in Lasanod.
“Frank discussions this morning with #Somaliland President @musebiihi about the awful loss of lives and violence in Lascanood. “The US Embassy in Somalia supports the international community in asking for a quick, unconditional ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access,” said the US Embassy.
According to the Somaliland presidency, the Somaliland president and Trenkle discussed Somaliland-US engagement, Lasanod conflict, and regional security.
“They also discussed beginning Somaliland-Somalia negotiations,” the statement continued.
Lasanod, the provincial seat of the Sool region in Somaliland’s breakaway territory, has seen three weeks of violent fighting between Somaliland soldiers and local militias. More than 100 people have been murdered in the violence, including women and children on both sides.
The conflict began after a group of traditional chiefs declared that they would no longer recognize the Somaliland administration and that the Sool and Sanaag regions would be administered from Mogadishu.
Somaliland is a former British protectorate in northeastern Somalia that declared independence in 1991 but has yet to earn international recognition.