Lasanod — The leadership of SSC-Khatumo has strongly denied claims that they belong to two shipments with explosives and military materials intercepted in Mogadishu.
Abdi Madobe, who is among the top military commanders of the SSC-Khatumo told Radio Shabelle based in Mogadishu during an interview that they did not belong to the weapons.
He added that the SSC-Khatumo uses Gara’ad and Bossaso to import the arms and have any relation with the shipments seized at Mogadishu airport and port by the spy agency.
The dismissal came after a Federal MP Dayah Omar said in a Facebook post that the military equipment at the hands of the Somali government belongs to the SSC-Khatumo.
In the past three days, NISA succeeded seizure of several containers filled with IEDs, remote controls, drones, bullet-proof helmets, and other military gear and 10 suspects.
The Ministry of Security for the Federal government of Somalia said the shipments were en route to Al-Shabaab after being imported via the airport and seaport by licensed traders.
SSC-Khatumo is at war with Somaliland over the control of Sool, Sanaag and Ayn regions, which it wants to establish a separate Federal State under the central government of Somalia.
Since the start of 2023, there has been fighting in Las Anod between troops of Somaliland and local militia from the Dhulbahante clan in northern Somalia. So far, at least 200 people have died and 800 have been wounded.
In addition to deaths and injuries, the United Nations estimated that more than 300,000 people have been displaced due to the conflict in the contested strategic city of LasAnod.