By: M. A. Egge
HARGEISA-The foreign minister Hon. Mohamed Bihi Yonis has reiterated the fact that the tangible bilateral relations cherished between the governments of Somaliland and Ethiopia was water-tight and that no simple mugger or thuggish acts or enemies undermine it in anyway.
The foreign minister gave the sentiments while in the wake of cross-border acts of banditry reports that saw skirmishes over the week at Qolujeed that had casualties.
He said that the Ethiopians and SL have reviewed the facts and that the security of the borders would be stepped up.
A soldier and a lady civilian were reportedly said to have sustained injuries following a group of bandits who made an assaults from across the border.
“The Ethiopians have assured us they would take stern actions against the perpetrators and would go after them”, said FM Yonis.
He said that SL-Ethio relations can never be dented by such simple criminal acts and that it was solid and fledgling even more.
He pledged that SL would keep her part of the bargain and make sure that its neighbor could not be undermined from its land. Both countries have ages-old relations and were greatly indebted to each other.
He noted that as concerns the Qolujeed skirmishes, both countries were united in their steadfastness as far as addressing the situation was concerned.
He said that the Ethiopians would swiftly act in pursuit of the thugs.
Wabar a pariah
In a related story, a cross-section of the traditional leaders of the Awdal communities have distanced themselves from associating themselves with the Sultanship of renegade traditional leader Sultan Wabar, alienating and distancing him.
The move believed to have been catalyzed by the recent skirmishes unleashed at Qolujeed, states that the leaders from the community reiterated the need of maintaining and preserving stability and security. They praised the security forces for keeping vigil and vouched for the sustained harmonious setting of the area and declared their total disassociation from the sultan to the remotest sense.
The renegade Wabar has now been left as a pariah since he last announced insurgency intent a couple of months ago or so.
