GAROWE (WDN) In a rare gesture of cooperation, Puntland and Somaliland on Tuesday carried out a formal exchange of prisoners of war captured during fierce clashes in Lasanod, the capital of the Sool region.

The Puntland government released 15 Somaliland soldiers who had been detained during the 2023 conflict. The detainees were freed from the central prison in Garowe and flown to Hargeisa, where they were received by Somaliland authorities.

Puntland’s Minister of Justice, Mohamed Abdiwahab, confirmed the exchange, describing it as a positive step toward improving inter-regional security and promoting dialogue.

“Today, we handed over to the Somaliland government 15 prisoners who were captured during the fighting in the Sool region in 2023. Somaliland, in turn, released 11 prisoners who had previously been in their custody,” said Minister Abdiwahab.

The prisoners were accompanied by two senior advisors to Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni—Abdi Hirsi Ali Qarjab, Security Advisor, and Caarshe Said, Advisor—who escorted them to Hargeisa to oversee the handover.

In return, Puntland received 11 of its soldiers who had been captured by Somaliland forces during the same conflict. Among the returnees were two senior officers, Aarsade and Abdimudalib, both prominent figures in the military campaign that led to Somaliland’s withdrawal from Lasanod.

The prisoner swap marks a significant, albeit cautious, sign of de-escalation after months of political and military tension between the two sides.

WardheerNews