Somaliland gov’t on Thursday has strongly repudiated the news saying that the gov’t is releasing the prisoners of war that were captured in Lasanod fighting after reports were circulated on social media. The government in response to the protesters in Buroa took to the streets in defiance of the release of the prisoners hailing from Lasanod.
The government said that inmates who committed minor offenses will be released on the occasion of May 18. The Minister responsible of interior, Abdalle Mohamed Arab alias Sandheere has disclosed that the prisoners of war are not going to be released.
He said: “People are demonstrating in Buroa which is against the law. It is not good for us such violence during the occasion of 18 May. The news is baseless. Those inmates that will be pardoned are those that have committed minor offenses. The prisoners of war are not part of it.” He disclosed that there are individuals who want the gov’t and the public to confront each other and are spreading false information on social media.
He ordered the security forces that they have to take an action against those who are responsible for disseminating false news. He said: “Those are creating problems, I order the security forces to take immediate action against those people.”
The rioters who went to the streets in Buroa were angered the news saying that the gov’t of Somaliland is releasing the prisoners of war that were captured in Lasanod. They demanded that the prisoners of war held in Lasanod must be exchanged to those that are held in captivity in Somaliland.
