Khatumo State

Khatumo State (Somali: Khaatumo; Arabic: ولاية خاتمة, romanized: Wilāyat Khātimah), officially the Khatumo State of Somalia (Somali: Dowlad Goboleedka Khaatumo ee Soomaaliya), is a inactive state government succeeding the SSC Movement.[1] Centred on the Sool, Sanaag regions and the Buuhoodle district of Togdheer region, its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 2012.[2][3]

Khatumo State of Somalia
  • Dowlad Goboleedka Khaatumo ee Soomaaliya (Somali)
  • ولاية خاتمة  (Arabic)
  • Wilāyat Khātumi
2012–2018
Flag of Khatumo
Location of Khatumo
CapitalBuuhoodle (de facto)
9°8′N 48°25′E
Largest cityLas Anod
GovernmentAutonomous presidential democracy
• President
Ali Khalif Galaydh
• Vice President
Abdul Agalule
Autonomy 
within Somalia
History 
• Established
2012
• Disestablished
2018
CurrencySomali shilling (SOS)
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
• Summer (DST)
UTC+3 (not observed)
Calling code+252 (Somalia)
ISO 3166 codeSO
Internet TLD.so
Today part ofSomalia

In 2011, the state's militias succeeded in removing Somaliland troops from its borders.[4] On 20 October 2017 in Aynaba, an agreement was signed between the Khatumo President Ali Khalif Galaydh and the Somaliland government which stipulated the amendment of Somaliland's constitution and territorial integration into Somaliland.[5][6][7][8] However, the Vice President of Khatumo expressed his disagreement with the agreement and remained actively opposed to Somaliland.[9]

The state collapsed in 2018 when the city of Las Anod was assimilated by Somaliland using military force, with the checkpoints in Tukaraq and Las Anod being controlled by Somaliland troops.[4] In 2023 at Las Anod, mass demonstrations and civil unrest erupted into armed conflict.[10] The region is currently still contested between Somaliland and local militias of the Dhulbahante clan, who declared the region as SSC-Khatumo State and have raised the Khaatumo flag in the city square.[11][12]

History
See also: Dervish State

Establishment
A Khatumo State proclamation ceremony in Dubai (2013)

Khatumo is derived from an Arabic term meaning a "positive conclusion." The administration's stated aim was to bring development and stability to the region through the establishment of a locally based government.[2] Many inhabitants previously self-referred as being denizens of SSC, which became KS (Khatumo State).[13]

Control of the territory was disputed between Khatumo State (formerly HBM-SSC or Hoggaanka Badbaadada iyo Mideynta SSC), the autonomous Somalian region of Puntland, and the Republic of Somaliland.[14]

In January 2012, the Khatumo State administration was finalized after a series of domestic and overseas conferences beginning in 2007 between prominent political figures, traditional leaders and local residents. The territory's capital was initially at Taleh.[2]

In March 2012, Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) announced that it had approved the Khatumo State.[15]

Split of Khaatumo and dissolution of Ali Khalif group

Within a year of its founding, Khaatumo began to dissolve due to a lack of palpable results[16] and by 2015 the proto-state practically ceased to function,[4] with the idea of an autonomous Khaatumo state having lost ground among the Dhulbahante, the clan that inhabits the area, a year after its establishment.[17]

In August 2016 Khatumo state commenced peace talks with Somaliland.[18][19] The talks, however, caused a major disagreement between the president and vice-president of the administration, Ali Khalif Galaydh and Abdulle Agalule respectively, which eventually produced two separate administrations that both claimed to be the legitimate government.[20] The group led by Ali Khalif reached an agreement with Somaliland, at the town of Aynabo in October 2017, which stipulated that under the condition of changing the constitution of Somaliland, the organisation would become integrated within the Somaliland government.[6]

President Silanyo and Ali Khalif signing the Somaliland-Khatumo Agreement in Aynabo in October 2017

The vice president of Khatumo State, Cabdalle Maxamuud Cali (Cagalule), rejected the agreement, and declared himself the president of Khatumo State and announced that he supported Puntland's efforts to reclaim the Sool region.[9]

2023 conflict
Main article: 2023 Las Anod conflict

On February 6, 2023, the Dhulbahante clan elders declared their intent to form a state government named "SSC-Khatumo" within the Federal Government of Somalia.[11] On 19 March, the traditional leaders met with a delegation of MPs from Federal Government of Somalia.[21][22]

Government

The Khatumo State governmental authority was structured somewhat differently from Somalia's other autonomous regional administrations. At its establishment, it had three presidents, four councils and various ministerial positions.[2] In August 2014, Member of the Federal Parliament of Somalia and former Prime Minister of Somalia Ali Khalif Galaydh was elected President of Khatumo State. He defeated former co-president Mohamed Yusuf Jama (Indhosheel) by 21 votes to 9. Assembly members, who had been appointed by traditional leaders, also selected Abdul Sulub as vice president.[23] The parliament was composed of 33 members.

Military

Khatumo maintains its own security forces. Exclusively financed by the state administration, they are tasked with assuring local security and defending the region's borders. According to Khatumo President Abdinuur Elmi Qaaji, the forces are well trained and armed.[2] Khatumo troops have been deployed in defense operations against invading Somaliland troops in Buhoodle and other disputed towns within SSC territory.[2][24] In 2012, Khatumo forces were led by Abdirisak Fanah, with Omar Jama Saleiman serving as official spokesman.[25][26]

See also

References
  1. Stremlau, Nicole (2018). "Governance Without Government in the Somali Territories". Journal of International Affairs. 71 (2): 73–89. ISSN 0022-197X. JSTOR 26552330.
  2. "What is Khatumo State?". Somalia Report. 26 April 2012. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  3. "Khatumo State". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  4. Musa, Ahmed. "Lasanod: City at the margins" (PDF). Rift Valley Institute: 7. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  5. "Somaliland iyo Khatumo oo kala saxiixday heshiisyo dhowr ah". BBC News Somali (in Somali). Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  6. Mahmood, Omar S. (1 November 2019). "Overlapping Claims by Somaliland and Puntland: The Case of Sool and Sanaag". Africa Portal. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  7. "Khaatumo and Somaliland reach final agreement". somalilanddaily.com. 21 October 2017. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  8. Doon, Run. "Current Affairs in the Horn of Africa" (PDF). Anglo-Somali Society Journal. Autumn 2017 (Somaliland, Khaatumo agreement reached).
  9. "GARAB KAMID AH KHAATUMO OO SHIR JARAA'ID KU QABTAY GAROOWE". puntlandpost.net. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  10. Ali, Faisal (7 February 2023). "At least 24 dead in Somaliland fighting". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  11. Haji, Mohammed (20 February 2023). "What's driving conflict in the disputed Somali city of Las Anod?". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  12. Salh, Mohamed (8 March 2023). "Mohamed Salh on Twitter: "Just in #LasAnod. #Somalia🇸🇴."". Twitter. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  13. Pegg, Scott, and Pål Kolstø. "Somaliland: Dynamics of internal legitimacy and (lack of) external sovereignty." Geoforum 66 (2015): 193-202.
  14. "Somaliland's Quest for International Recognition and the HBM-SSC Factor". Archived from the original on 28 May 2012.
  15. "Dowladda oo aqoonsatay Khaatumo state". bbc.com. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  16. Höhne, Markus Virgil (2015). Between Somaliland and Puntland : marginalization, militarization and conflicting political vision. London. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-907431-13-5. OCLC 976483444.
  17. Höhne, Markus Virgil (2015). Between Somaliland and Puntland : marginalization, militarization and conflicting political vision. London. p. 115. ISBN 978-1-907431-13-5. OCLC 976483444.
  18. "Wadahadallo u socda Somaliland iyo Khaatumo". BBC Somali. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  19. "Somalia: Khatumo begins peace talks with Somaliland". Garowe Online. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  20. "Khilaaf ballaaran oo soo kala dhexgalay madaxda Khaatumo". BBC Somali. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  21. "The Daily Somalia: "A delegation of Mps & Senators from #Mogadishu, led by the Deputy Speaker of the Upper House Abdullahi Ali Hirsi Timacade arrived in #LasAnod. They held meetings with the traditional leaders of @SSCKhaatumo."". Twitter. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  22. "Abbas A Hashi: "15 years after federal delegation and the MPs representing the SSC regions arrived today in the #lasanod to survey the damage. This arrival was brought about by the locals' resistance to the SL, not by a delegation or through diplomacy. The solution for the haughty is a gun."". Twitter. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  23. "Somalia: Puntland leader arrives back in Garowe after provincial tour". Garowe Online. 14 August 2014. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  24. "Somalia: Silanyo calls for peace after Somaliland forces clash with armed group". Garowe Online. 2 April 2012. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  25. Omar, Shiine (2 August 2012). "Deadly Fighting in Buhoodle". Somalia Report. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  26. Said Ismail, Aweys Cadde (26 January 2012). "Somaliland Attacks Khatumo Militia". Somalia Report. Retrieved 27 September 2013.

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