MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Authorities in Puntland state of Northeastern Somali have dispelled reports claiming the state inked peace agreement with its neighbouring Somaliland over Tukaraq village.
Forces loyal to both Puntland and Somaliland state had engaged in a deadly gun battle over the ownership of Tukaraq village leading displacement of thousands of residents.
Local media on Saturday reported that the delegates from both sides penned Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on tensions of Soil region.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, Puntland Minister for Information, Abdi Hirsi Qarjab dismissed the claims saying Puntland state did not engage in talks with Somaliland administration.
“We neither engaged in talks nor signed a peace agreement with Somaliland. Those are unfounded, the tension is still escalating,” said Qarjab.
The minister expressed Puntland’s readiness to start negotiation talks with Somaliland on condition of pulling Somaliland forces out of Tukaraq locality.
“Currently, we are not at a stage where we can start talks. The sides should move to their respective areas and then we can start talks on the issue but We will negotiate with anyone who is occupying our areas,” he said.
The tension is fresh as both sides reportedly employed light and heavy guns near Tukaraq village, about 1,100km northwest of the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Tukaraq lies between the main towns of Las Anod in the breakaway Somaliland state and self-declared republic – and Garowe in Puntland state.
Somaliland and Puntland have hand long-standing border disputes, particularly over Sool and Sanaag regions that separate them.
Territorial disputes in the region go back to the colonial era when Britain colonized Somaliland and Italy colonized the rest of Somalia.
The people in Sool region are represented in both the Somaliland and Puntland administrations.
Somaliland in the northwest of the country declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 but has since failed to win international recognition.
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