Deep divisions have surfaced within the SSC-Khaatumo traditional leadership just days before the official opening of a pivotal conference aimed at finalizing the formation of the newly recognized SSC-Khaatumo regional state.
The conference, scheduled to begin Sunday in Las Anod, has sparked internal tensions, with the SSC-Khaatumo community splitting into two camps: one backing the current interim leadership and another aligned with opposition politicians and presidential candidates.Speaking at a press conference in Las Anod, Garaad Jama Garaad Ali, the Supreme Traditional Leader of the Dhulbahante clan, voiced strong opposition to external influence over the decision-making process.
“For 15 years, I have resisted directives from outside,” said Garaad Jama. “I cannot now stand by and allow my people to be guided by the very forces I have long opposed. The Warsangeli are our brothers and neighbors—we care for them deeply. This matter must be resolved among us, not dictated by others.”
The Garaad warned against imposing leadership choices and stressed the need for a genuine national dialogue, cautioning that failure to do so could plunge SSC-Khaatumo back into the instability it has only recently begun to overcome.
Meanwhile, SSC-Khaatumo’s interim president, Abdiqadir Ahmed Ali Firdhiye, met with tribal leaders from the Sool and Sanaag regions to discuss the upcoming conference. These groups have expressed support for holding the event while encouraging peaceful dialogue over lingering concerns.
SSC parliamentarians also convened in Las Anod late Saturday to deliberate on the political standoff, although no official resolution emerged.
Tensions escalated earlier this week when several presidential candidates accused President Firdhiye of manipulating the conference process and excluding legitimate representatives, particularly from the Warsangeli clan. They argued that the process lacked transparency and inclusivity.
The Las Anod conference is intended to mark the formal transition of SSC-Khaatumo from an interim administration to a full-fledged federal member state. The Somali Federal Government officially recognized SSC-Khaatumo earlier this year, following months of fierce clashes with Somaliland forces and a realignment of political allegiances in northern Somalia.
The current impasse underscores the fragility of the political process in SSC-Khaatumo and the challenges of building an inclusive administration amid deep-seated clan rivalries and competing political interests.
