Since February 2023, the Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) has recorded 15 incidents of explosive weapon use in Las Anod, Somaliland, resulting in at least 756 civilian casualties, with 148 reported deaths and 608 injuries. This accounts for 98% of all civilians harmed in Somaliland since 2010, according to AOAV records.
Somaliland is an autonomous region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized by foreign powers. Despite being more stable than Somalia, tensions between Somaliland forces and local tribal leaders have escalated since December 2022 when protests for reunification with Somalia began. In February 2023, elders in three Somaliland provinces announced their support for Somalia’s federal government and declared their territories as part of Somalia, deeming the Somaliland administration illegal. This declaration triggered heavy fighting, including artillery shells, mortar shells, and rocket-propelled grenades, resulting in the repeated shelling of hospitals, schools, and residential areas in Las Anod, reportedly mostly by Somaliland forces.
AOAV has recorded 19 incidents of explosive weapon use in Somaliland since 2010, resulting in 775 civilian casualties, including 148 deaths and 627 injuries. Additionally, 54 armed actor casualties have been recorded, including 50 deaths and four injuries. However, AOAV’s casualty figures may represent a lower estimate of the actual harm caused, as the organization only records incident-specific casualty figures reported in English-language media.
AOAV strongly condemns the use of violence against civilians and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It calls on all actors to stop using explosive weapons with wide-area effects in areas with a high concentration of civilians. The current situation in Las Anod underscores the urgent need for actors to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians in armed conflicts.
