Somaliland captured our lawmaker Monday, Puntland says

The Semi-autonomous regional state, Puntland has confirmed the capture of one of its parliamentarians by the breakaway Somaliland administration on Monday following clashes between Somaliland and Puntland forces in Sanaag region.

Speaking to Goobjoog News, Mohamed Ahmed Dobo who is a member of Puntland Assembly said that the lawmaker who is identified as Mohamed Farah Adan was captured in Sanaag while he was visiting his constituency.

” The MP was not participating the fighting but he accidently fell victim after the clashes erupted in the area,” said Dobo.

Meanwhile Somaliland affirmed that its troops captured Puntland MP

Speaking to the BBC Somali service, the commander of the Somaliland army, Ismail Shaqalle Osman said his troops captured three armored vehicles from Puntland forces.

He noted that they have also taken six captives from Puntland including Mohamed who is a member of Puntland parliament.

On Monday morning, forces from Somaliland and Puntland clashed over a disputed strip of desert that has been the source of sporadic violence for years.

The fighting between the two forces erupted around 7:00 this morning at Booda-adde area, which is located near Baran town in Sanaag region

According to reports one person was killed and three others wounded during fighting between Somaliland and Puntland security forces along their shared border in the Sanaag.

Somaliland, formerly the colony of British Somaliland, claims independence as a sovereign nation.

Puntland remains part of greater Somalia but generally administers its own affairs through its own military and government institutions.

The two have fought for years over the Sool and Sanag regions, part of which Puntland claim on an ethnic basis while Somaliland says they are part of its territory under the colonial border Britain left.