The President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, is expected to make his first trip to Las Anod, the capital of the Northeastern region of Somalia, this week, according to sources in the presidency of Northeastern Somalia.
The visit comes weeks after Israel recognized Somaliland, and is seen as a move by the federal government to strengthen its political influence in the northern regions.
Reports indicate that the president’s trip is related to attending the inauguration ceremony of the President of the Northeastern Regional State, Abdulqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali, who was elected on August 30, 2025.
Informed sources say that President Hassan Sheikh will deliver a speech to the regional parliament, which was interpreted as a message to Somaliland, which claims the Sool and Sanaag regions as part of its territory.
If President Hassan Sheikh travels to Las Anod, it will be the first time a Somali president has visited the city since President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, who was assassinated there during his first visit in 1969.
Lascaanod was liberated from Somaliland in 2023, after eight months of bloody fighting. Last year, the regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn established formal regional states recognized by the Somali government.
