UN reacts to the Somaliland’s Deportation of Over 7,000 people from its territory

The United Nations has issued a new report regarding the recent expulsion exercise by the Somaliland government mostly targeting people who are originally from Somalia citing security issues.

A UN report said the Number of people displaced from LasAnod, Somaliland has risen to 7,250 and most of them were hosted in Puntland state of Somalia.

The international communities had previously condemned the act. However, Somaliland authorities described an operation to expel non-Somalilanders from Sool and other regions as a ‘law enforcement operation.’ They added that These people have been repatriated to their country; they have not been violated and they have the right to make their own choices.

An estimated 2,400 people in Erigavo were notified by Somaliland authorities to leave town by Oct 21. Somalia government officials said they are “deeply saddened” by Somaliland’s decision to deport hundreds of people originally from Somalia. They accused the Somaliland government of violating human rights.

This came after several officials including a city council MP were recently assassinated in Lasanod, Sool region. Somaliland authorities said they have a right to deport any foreign national who stays illegally in the country or is suspected to be a threat to national security.