On Saturday, the Somaliland government announced an end to the inter-clan feud that had been raging in the western regions of Salel and Awdal. Interior Minister Abdalle Mohamed Arab stated that houses had been set on fire and many people had been killed, which was a new and unacceptable culture for both clans. He also confirmed that those responsible for instigating the unrest had been arrested and detained in Madera prison, with at least 30 people currently in police custody. Minister Arab emphasized the government’s commitment to implementing the rule of law and maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards criminals. He also mentioned that the elders had agreed to work with the government to restore peace in the region. In addition, Minister Arab announced that Somaliland security forces had recently conducted a successful operation to detain individuals who had been ambushing and murdering civilians. He confirmed that some of the assailants had been killed by the security forces. He also stated that the government had rejected the presence of armed civilians and that all settlements where armed clans were based had signed a peace agreement. Minister Arab further affirmed that the security forces were currently stationed in the border areas of the west, and dismissed rumors of clan militias crossing the border from Djibouti and Ethiopia as baseless speculations. Finally, Minister Arab declared that peace had been achieved between the clans in Salel and Awdal regions, and issued a stern warning that the government would not tolerate anyone who instigated unrest and violated the peace agreement.
