Internal conflicts lead to political instability and societal unrest. Notably, if the clash is about territorial claims or statehood disagreements, it can lead to internal chaos. Furthermore, it influences a state's position and relations with the outside world and its neighbors. If no immediate and long-term solution is implemented, the government will fail.
Since separating from the rest of Somalia in
1991, Somaliland has gone through numerous stages of state-building. The
disarming of clan-based militias between 1994 and 1997 was the first stage of
state-building. This is how Somaliland came to be, and it is now seeking worldwide
recognition. Despite the fact that this endeavor was surrounded by several
deterrents, three years later, citizens trusted the central government with
their security and surrendered their army. At this moment, the Somaliland army
was established.
A catastrophe that many nations are dealing
with is the armed tribal forces. Internal security issues, robbery, murders,
economic collapse, and the breakdown of the state apparatus can result from
this. The early 1994 Somaliland civil war was a significant challenge that was
expensive and time-consuming to resolve. Following the conflict that drove
Somaliland out of the Lasanod district in 2023, weapons once more ended up in
the hands of civil forces, eastern regions in particular.
To comprehend
the present, we must therefore revisit the past. Thus, a conflict between
Somaliland troops and anti-Somaliland militia groups -Huwan-broke out in Lasanod
at the beginning of 2023. After roughly three months of combat, the conflict
changed its focus, and shifted Somaliland against all devils. Various
clan-rooted allies from around Somalia have converged in Lasanod areas to
oppose Somaliland troops stationed in there.
Somaliland
troops were withdrawn from the major military base, Gojacade, in the early
hours of August 25, 2023, for the sake of taking into account the life,
stability, and security of the community living there. Later, the district and
adjacent territories fell into a state of violence, affecting the people and
integrations.
As per the former
government led by Musa Bihi claimed, national troops had taken a tactical
retreat but had not been defeated. Somaliland troops eventually sat their main
base in the Oog district, Sool.
However, the
fight didn't finish there. Clan-wearing combatants start fighting against Huwan
militias, wreaking havoc in Somaliland. The national troops were positioned in
their government-established bases, but the allied forces started attacks on
the local populace, and after August 25, there were multiple clashes in which
many people were murdered and others were captured. Likewise, the clan's
associated factions won the majority of these fights with the help of the
Somaliland military.
This is where
the civil forces started. Tribal leaders from Sool, Sanaag, and eastern Togdher
districts began collecting weapons and tribal troops to combat against Huwan
allies who wanted to ruin Somaliland.
As we all know,
the civil forces project assisted national forces and internal security,
assisting Somaliland in winning the battle waged by the anti-Somaliland
resistances. More precisely, tribal forces had assisted Somaliland in
overcoming tough situations and backed the national forces.
The November 2024
elections were held at a time when Somaliland was experiencing internal
violence, most notably in the Lasanod district. Fortunately, the Kulmiye ruling
government was able to conduct two simultaneous elections to decide
Somaliland's next president for the following five years, as well as the three
national parties that would be permitted to compete in legislative and
presidential elections for a decade. According to the election results, the
Wadani party won the presidential election with a majority of the vote.
The current Irro-led government, which has
been in office for four months, has initially accepted full responsibility for
nationalizing the civil forces, seeing them as both an opportunity to swiftly
recruit thousands of military personnel and a security concern since they can
pose a threat to domestic security. Likewise, they put a financial burden on
tribes as they pay their salaries.
Wadani led
government decided to fully subordinate them under the national military forces.
In the same way, the new state leadership saw this as a lifetime prospect to
recruit a huge number of soldiers and weaponry to strengthen the country's
military capabilities.
President Irro
has already vowed big reforms in military command and named Brigadier General
Nimcaan Yusuf Osman (Gahnug), a young man with almost 20 years of military service
experience, as commander-in-chief of the military. Not only that, but
overhauled the military's leadership and operation commanders in search of new
leadership capable of achieving the military's defensive objectives.
The ruling system has pledged to carry out
this project, the largest ever attempted by the newly elected government, by
nationalizing roughly 10,000 troops and all of their weapons and military equipment.
The accord was aided by the traditional clan elders from whom these militias
emerged, who agreed to the government's proposal
to "nationalize their militias, weaponry, and other military facilities so
that they become a national army."
The project, which was being invented by the President of
Somaliland delegated to the Vice President; Mohamed Ali Aw Abdi. The vice
president, who is executing this national strategy, achieved this challenging
work in less than a month and a half, and it is
a historic achievement that signifies Somaliland's goal for peace and nation-building.
The Vice President, on behalf of the
President, successfully persuaded the young civil forces, which were organized
along clan lines, to nationalize themselves, weapons, and their military
facilities to join the national army. Local traditional leaders,
businesspeople, and other government officials all contributed significantly to
this decisive milestone.
In his remarks, the nation's vice president
described “the Civil Army Nationalization Project as a comprehensive national
strategy. The final civil army registration in the Saraar and Sool regions was
nationalized today. Government of Somaliland is in charge of the country's
defense and public security. Let's now get ready for the state building and
unification."
H.E. President Irro, who
seems to be honoring his campaign commitments, commended his deputy for
successfully executing a crucial aspect of nation-building. He said “This effort will be a tremendous testament to Mohamed Ali, his government,
and will boost his legitimacy, and I salute him.”
Since about 10,000 civil force personnel have
joined the army thus far, this scheme is assisting Somaliland in bolstering its
security. This is a fantastic military opportunity for the government to
quickly acquire armed forces, weapons, and combat vehicles, which will assist
the nation improve the dependability of its defense in the eastern regions.
Meanwhile, the new government has escaped a
security crisis that could have prevented it from implementing the manifesto of
the Wadani party. Irro’s military and security experts induced approach for
nationalizing the civilian forces to carry out security and development plans.
The reform and advancement of Somaliland's
major forces served as the foundation for the ruling party’s political agenda.
He began his tenure by issuing a decree to raise military salaries by 50%
throughout the course of his five years in power. In his speech to both
chambers of parliament on April 20th, he also promised to build a military
hospital, provide free education for military children, and military rankings
based on experience, knowledge and fairness.
The new government launched a National
military census project gather official statistics and numbers for the various
forces in order to guarantee openness and equity within the military. With the
completion of this project in late April, a thorough military census has been
obtained and it was another significant turning point in the government's
attempts to combat the corruption that afflicted the military. Likewise it is
an employability opportunity for youth.
For this and the other achievements we have
outlined above, the Somaliland government deserves praise. The vice president
of Somaliland in particular has made history by exhibiting commitment,
fortitude, diligence, and integrity. The public's complete trust in the new
government is facilitated by his demonstration to carry out the policies set
forth in its manifesto.
Lastly, bandits in this field recommend that
these initiatives be continued and that a thorough strategy be made to develop
the different national armies. It's also critical to give these paramilitary troops
excellent training and improve their understanding of the military, morality,
and national security in general.