Garowe-(Puntland Mirror) Puntland on Wednesday said the Sool and Cayn regions remain part of its territory, in a move seen as rejecting the SSC-Khaatumo administration currently under formation in Lasanod.
In a statement issued by the Puntland Ministry of Interior, the government cited constitutional provisions from its 1998 founding, arguing that communities in Sool and Cayn had fully participated in establishing the Puntland State.
“Until a legitimate legal process involving broad consultations across Puntland takes place, the regions of Sool and Cayn and their inhabitants remain part of the Puntland State,” the statement said.
The position marks a shift from earlier remarks by Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, who had expressed support for SSC-Khaatumo’s aspirations for self-governance.
A conference is underway in Lasanod aimed at finalizing SSC-Khaatumo’s state formation. The process is reportedly supported by the Federal Government of Somalia, which has had a strained relationship with President Deni since the 2022 presidential election.
Tensions are also simmering in the Sanaag region. Although senior traditional elders there have reaffirmed loyalty to Puntland, delegates from the region—led by former Puntland officials—are participating in the SSC-Khaatumo process.
On Tuesday, at least nine people were killed in Dhahar during clashes between Puntland forces and local militias loyal to the Maakhir movement, which is seeking autonomy from Puntland.
