The SSC-Khaatumo administration has welcomed the prisoner exchange between Somaliland and Puntland, especially the release of 11 prisoners captured by Somaliland in the Lascaanod war.
A statement from the Ministry of Justice, Religious Affairs and Constitutional Affairs of the SSC-Khaatumo administration stated that the prisoners released by Somaliland were fighters who played a major role in the Lascaanod war, and it greatly welcomed their release.
“The SSC-Khaatumo regional state warmly welcomes the fighters released today from the prisons of the North West separatist group, who were kidnapped during the just war in which the people of SSC-Khaatumo resisted the aggressive invasion of the North West separatist group (NGWG) into the areas of the SSC-Khaatumo regional state,” the statement said.
The SSC-Khaatumo administration has credited the release of the prisoners to the Prime Minister of Somalia, Hamse Abdi Barre, who they said played a major role in the prisoner exchange efforts that were carried out today. The Somali government, which welcomed the release of the prisoners, also said that SSC-Khaatumo was pleased with the efforts led by the Prime Minister.
However, the Puntland administration said that the release of the prisoners was not informed by the SSC-Khaatumo administration, and that the Federal Government of Somalia had no role in it. Puntland said that it is working with Somaliland for peace and common good, and that there is no need to ask a third party about this.
Somaliland today released 11 prisoners held by Puntland during the 2023 Lascaanood war, while Puntland released 15 prisoners held by Somaliland during the same war. The exchange of prisoners between the two sides comes after SSC-Khaatumo recently released 25 Somaliland prisoners held in Lascaanood.
The move marks a political rapprochement between Somaliland and Puntland, as neither side has welcomed the new SSC-Khaatumo administration, which has been implemented in parts of the Sool, Sanaag, and Ceyn regions, areas that have long been disputed by the two sides.
