Hiiraan Online

Hargeisa (HOL) - Somaliland's Minister of Information, Saleeban Yusuf Ali Koore, urged the residents of Las Anod to remain calm and to allow time for peaceful dialogue.

Before the issue worsens, the minister issued an appeal for peace, calling on Las Anod residents to strive for understanding and communicate with one another.

"I am asking the people of Sool, especially in Las Anod district, as the representative of the (Somaliland) government, to calm down and allow time to talk to each other and work on peace," said Minister Koore.

Protests broke out again on Saturday morning as young protesters continued to face off with security forces. Residents said the heavy-handed response from authorities, including live ammunition, has continued.

Koore's comments were the first time the Somaliland government addressed the violence in Las Anod, which began on Tuesday.

Nearly a week of unrest has prompted traditional leaders of Somaliland to issue a public appeal, saying they were ready to resolve the ongoing conflict.

The British and American embassies in Mogadishu have expressed concern over the protest violence in Las Anod, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of scores of people.

British Ambassador to Somalia, Kate Foster, urged all sides to de-escalate, avoid further casualties, and resolve the matter peacefully. 

"We are concerned by recent events in Las Anod resulting in death and injury of civilians. We urge all sides to de-escalate, avoid further casualties, and resolve the matter peacefully."

At the same time, the U.S. embassy joined the Somali voices calling for calm.

"Peace and the rule of law must prevail over violence against civilians and destruction of property," the U.S. embassy tweeted.

Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro, a candidate in the Somaliland presidential elections and Wadani Party leader, said that the government has failed to ensure the security of the Las Anod. 

"We did not anticipate that the (Somaliland) government would callously kill over ten people. It is not acceptable for this to continue." 

Irro urged the Somaliland government to listen to the grievances of Las Anod residents while also ensuring their safety and prosecuting murderers.

He went on to say that the government should have jailed those responsible for the death of Abdifatah Abdullahi Abdi Hadrawi, a Wadani Party official who was slain just before the protests began.

Hadrawi was shot dead last Monday evening after returning from the mosque. The protests began on Tuesday in response to the local administration's failure to deal with assassinations.

"We are urging the government, whose mandate is over, not to use weapons or disproportional force against the people expressing their views. They should be heard, their security should be safeguarded, and individuals who are murdering residents should be dealt with with a stern hand."

Puntland state and it's president, Said Abdullahi Deni, accused Somaliland of carrying out a "brutal attack against innocent people" in Las Anod, the administrative capital of the Sool region.

President Deni said that the Somaliland army killed innocent civilians who were rightfully protesting against "innocent people being hunted in their own town."

"Since the Somaliland administration has controlled Las Anod, over 100 people were killed. Among those people were young people, women, and scholars. No one is left out. People are killed, and no one investigates. No one has been arrested or tried in any of the murders," said Deni.

At least three people were killed during the flare-up on Friday after police used live ammunition to disperse protestors throwing rocks at the central police station.