Monday July 31, 2023
Hargeisa (HOL) - A battle between the Somaliland army and a recently announced anti-government rebel group took place in Dari-maraa, a village near the Ga'anlibah Mountain, which serves as the rebel base on Sunday afternoon.
The rebel group's spokesman, Ahmed Ali Haybe, reported that the fighting lasted one hour between Somaliland's RRU army and the rebel group, who have been staying close to each other for the past few days.
"The fight started at 5:30. We have had no losses, injuries, or fatalities. We have no information about them, except that a car was burnt. They went back to their place of residence," said the spokesman.
According to him, the Somaliland troops stationed near the mountain and a reconnaissance group from their army encountered the rebel militia forces, resulting in the fight outbreak.
Last Wednesday, the rebels kidnapped eight military officers and elders in the Gode-weyn district but later released them after several hours. Following this incident, lawmakers have expressed their commitment to convincing the rebel group to ease the situation.
Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi addressed concerns about the emergence of anti-government rebels in Ga'an Libax Mountain during a forum on Sunday. He downplayed the threat posed by the rebels, stating that the people of Somaliland were not interested in engaging in conflict.