Tuesday March 21, 2023
Hargeisa (HOL) - Abdiqani Saad Hassan, the Director of the Executive Department of the Somaliland Human Rights Commission, has stated that reports of mistreatment and torture of prisoners of war captured during the Las Anod conflict are false.
According to Hassan, no prisoners were taken to court or subjected to torture. According to Hassan, members of the commission visited the prisoners and confirmed that they were in good health and receiving the same treatment as other prisoners.
Hassan did acknowledge that some of the prisoners had reported allergies, but they received medical attention from a doctor.
The Somaliland Defense Minister, Abdiqani Mohamud Aateeye, reported that 20 prisoners, two army vehicles, 15 heavy machine guns, and numerous small arms were captured during the clash on the outskirts of Las Anod on Saturday.
On Sunday, the spokesperson for the 33rd Committee, Abdirisaq Mohamed Hassan Falalug, accused the Somaliland government of killing the prisoners captured in the conflict.
The SSC-Khatumo forces also took prisoners and said they would provide more information soon.
Garaad Abdisalan Hassan, a traditional elder of the SSC-Khatumo in Las Anod,
reported that 30 people had died, and 60 others were seriously injured.
Somaliland accused "Puntland-led allied" forces of
attacking its troops in East Las Anod and claimed that it was in a defensive position when the alleged attack occurred. The SSC stated that Somaliland forces attacked Las Anod town from all directions except the south.
Hassan's comments come as a delegation of federal lawmakers from Sool, including Senator Abdullahi Ali Tima'ade, the second deputy speaker of the Upper House,
arrived in Las Anod on Sunday. The federal parliamentarians last visited their constituency almost 15 years ago.