Executive Summary
The long-standing dispute over Laascaanood (Las Anod), in Somalia's disputed Sool region, stems from overlapping claims by Somaliland (resulting from colonial-era borders), Puntland (on clan-based grounds), and the federal government of Somalia. Since the 1990s, Somaliland has exercised de facto control over the territory, often marginalising the Dhulbahante clan. In February 2023, escalating tensions erupted into armed conflict: forces from the Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn (SSC) regions, referred to as SSC-Khatumo and supported by local communities, seized Las Anod, prompting Somaliland's military withdrawal by August 2023. Consequently, the federal government recognised SSC‑Khatumo as an interim administration in October 2023.
In July 2025, an SSC Grand Constitutional Conference in Las Anod declared the formation of the North Eastern State (NES), also known as North‑East Somalia, constituting Somalia's sixth federal member state, with Las Anod as capital, formally replacing SSC‑Khatumo. A new constitution was adopted, and the federal government officially recognised NES on 31 July 2025.
This shift has significantly altered mediation dynamics between Somalia and Somaliland. Somalia's legitimisation of NES reinforces its sovereignty claims, thereby undermining Somaliland's secessionist narrative. Somaliland condemned the move as illegitimate, further escalating tensions while conflict with Puntland over eastern Sanaag complicates the prospects of stability in the region. Nonetheless, if strategically leveraged, NES could become a model for inclusive federalism and confidence-building, though the current rhetoric risks entrenching divisions.
This brief recommends that stakeholders, the Somali Federal Government, Somaliland, Puntland, and the international community, pursue immediate de-escalation, promote inclusive dialogue, and enable humanitarian response, while supporting institutional governance in NES. Such steps are critical to preventing further destabilisation in Somalia and the wider region....