Somaliland government on Monday has announced the release of 14 Puntland war prisoners captured during border attacks. The prisoners were captured last year After Puntland militia launched several attacks inside Somaliland territory. Somaliland President, Musa Bihi Abdi is calling for peace with its neighbor, Puntland and is urging its leader to resolve the political dispute by means of talks rather than the barrel of gun. According to a press statement from the presidntial palace said that the objective behind the release of POWs is to bring peace to the region and offer a gesture of peace with Puntland.
Somaliland took control of Tukaraq from militia backed by Puntland last year after the two sides clashed that resulted the displacement of the residents from the area. Somaliland, Puntland are engaged in a protracted dispute pertaining to the ownership of the eastern regions in Somaliland. Somaliland claims that the territory belongs by geographical location whereby the border was demarcated by the imperial powers. Puntland says that the provinces belong to its territory since most of the inhabitants are their next of kin. The United Nations hailed the step taken by Somaliland in releasing the POWs which is mean to diffuse the tension where the two forces could again clash in the disputed territory.
