Hassan Sheikh’s planned Las Anod visit would be first by a Somali president since 1969, signaling federal push in north
MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to visit Las Anod this week, in what would be his first trip to the northeastern city and a highly symbolic bid to reinforce federal authority in northern Somalia, according to sources in the Northeastern Somalia presidency.
- Advertisement -
If confirmed, the visit would be the first by a Somali head of state to Las Anod since President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke was assassinated there during an official tour in 1969 — a historical echo that underscores both the weight and the risk of the moment.
Sources said Hassan Sheikh’s trip is linked to the planned inauguration of Abdulqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali, who was elected president of the Northeastern Regional State on Aug. 30, 2025. The administration governs the regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn, which formally established a regional state last year and received recognition from Somalia’s federal government.
The president is also expected to address the regional parliament in Las Anod, a move widely interpreted as a political signal to North Western State of Somalia, which continues to claim Sool and Sanaag as part of its territory despite contested control on the ground.
The anticipated journey comes weeks after Israel recognized North Western State of Somalia as an independent state — a step strongly rejected by Mogadishu and condemned by African, Arab and Islamic organizations. Analysts say the timing points to the federal government’s effort to assert political presence and territorial claims in the north amid heightened diplomatic tensions.
Las Anod, the administrative capital of Sool, was wrested from North Western State of Somalia’s control in early 2023 after nearly eight months of intense fighting that left hundreds dead and displaced tens of thousands. The conflict ended with a withdrawal of North Western State of Somalia forces and the emergence of local administrations aligned with the federal government.
Since then, Mogadishu has moved to consolidate influence in the area, backing the formation of the Northeastern Regional State within the federal system and seeking to stabilize local governance structures. A presidential visit would carry both symbolic and practical weight, signaling federal recognition of the new administration and reinforcing Mogadishu’s stance that the disputed regions are integral parts of Somalia.
While neither Villa Somalia nor regional officials have publicly confirmed the date, preparations are reportedly underway, and security has been tightened. Officials familiar with the planning say any visit by the president will involve extensive logistical measures given the city’s wartime damage and its sensitive political geography.
For many residents, the potential trip represents a turning point after decades of marginalization, conflict and contested authority. It offers a rare moment of national attention to a city that has long sat at the fault line of Somalia’s political and territorial disputes.
What happens next may shape the trajectory of federal–regional relations in the north. An unambiguous presidential embrace of Las Anod’s regional institutions would bolster the Northeastern Regional State and deepen Mogadishu’s footprint. It could also sharpen political lines with Hargeisa following Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, accelerating a broader test of influence across Sool, Sanaag and Cayn.
For now, the focus remains on security and timing. A visit by Hassan Sheikh — the first by a Somali president in Las Anod in more than half a century — would be both a domestic political statement and a message to foreign capitals watching Somalia’s internal map and the Horn of Africa’s shifting diplomacy.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
