The fighting continues for the third day on the eastern outskirts of the city.
Yesterday, SSC forces from the area managed to drive the Somaliland troops out of the mountains surrounding the town of Lascaanood.
Somaliland troops are still at their Goojacade base, 5km away from the city, where they have been shelling the city using mortar shells.
There are civilian casualties from the mortar shelling, and several houses were destroyed.
The situation is difficult in the general hospital of the city as many wounded have been taken there, the mortar shells used by the Somaliland soldiers hit the hospital for the second time yesterday and many civilians were injured.
“…The Somaliland forces are bombing people’s homes, hospitals, petrol stations and mosques which are burning today. We call on Somaliland to withdraw from this land…”, said the mayor of Laasanood, Abdirahim Ali Ismail, who held a press conference today at the General Hospital of Laasanood.
The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who yesterday called for a ceasefire between the warring parties in Lascanood, said that they welcome the wishes of the people of Sool, Sanaag, and Cyn regions, who this week declared regional autonomy under the Federal Government of Somalia.
Horseed Media