Security Minister Says Nearly 10 Personnel and Three Vehicles Were Seized After Crossing Into State-Controlled Territory

Laascaanood (WDN) — Tensions around the disputed Sool region have resurfaced after the Northeastern State administration said it detained nearly 10 armed personnel and seized three vehicles after they crossed into territory under its control.

Northeastern State Security Minister Abdirisaq Farah Warsame said the forces were detained on Tuesday afternoon after entering the administration’s area from the direction of Somaliland.

The minister said the border between the two sides has remained closed since the fighting between Somaliland and local forces in 2023, and suggested that the administration would maintain the closure until what he described as fundamental political conditions were met.

“We will open the road when they acknowledge that they are Somali and recognize Northeastern State as a Somali state. Until then, it will remain closed,” Warsame said.

Forces Referred to Legal Authorities

Warsame alleged that the personnel and vehicles had been sent from the Somaliland side but were subsequently intercepted by Northeastern State forces.

He said those detained would be dealt with through the law, although no further details were immediately provided about their identities, mission or the circumstances that led to their crossing.

The incident highlights the continuing sensitivity of movement and security operations around Las Anod and the wider Sool region, where competing political claims have remained unresolved since the 2023 conflict.

The minister also accused Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro of failing to recognize what he described as the new political reality in the region, saying his administration remained alert to any developments.

Political Rhetoric Raises the Temperature

In particularly strong remarks, Warsame accused the Somaliland leadership of continuing to pursue its claims over Sool and made allegations concerning Somaliland’s alleged relationship with Israel.

Those accusations reflect the minister’s political position and were not independently substantiated in the report.

The latest incident comes as relations between Somaliland and Northeastern State remain strained, despite recent signals from both sides about the possibility of dialogue and reconciliation.

The detention of the personnel could therefore add another layer of tension to an already sensitive security environment. For now, the Northeastern State administration says the detained personnel and their vehicles remain in its custody and will be handled according to law. Further clarification from Somaliland on the incident could determine whether the episode remains a localized security matter or develops into a wider political dispute

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