Demonstrations were staged in Buroa against news that was widely circulated on social media which say that the Somaliland gov’t will release the prisoners of war that were captured in Lasanod fighting. The protesters who staged the protests demanded that if Somaliland gov’t is willing to release the prisoners of war hailing from Lasanod, those from Somaliland that are in detention in Lasanod must also be released.
They told that the gov’t cannot release any prisoners of war unless those that are held in Lasanod must be released in the first place so as to exchange the prisoners. The demonstrators torched old tires in the streets while rioters hurled stones against the security forces who tried to disperse the crowd of protesters. However, we cannot independently confirm if Somaliland gov’t is intending to release the prisoners of war that were captured in Lasanod, but there are reports that individuals are disseminating in the social media.
The Speaker of the Upper House of Somaliland Parliament, Suleiman Mohamud Adan recently suggested that the gov’t must release all prisoners of war. He said that Somaliland cannot engage a dialogue with SSC-Khaatumo over the exchange of prisoners means that Somaliland made concessions on its statehood. He told that the traditional elders from Somali settlements who voluntarily undertook the task of pacification of the two sides must be given the responsibility when it comes to the swap of prisoners.
SSC-Khatumo reiterated on several occasions that there is a need that Somaliland and SSC-Khatumo exchange the prisoners as two administrations that are on an equal footing, and that Somaliland must make compromise on the disputed regions.
