The director accused Somaliland forces of destroying the hospital’s laboratory, blood bank and patient ward in mortar attacks. "The Somaliland forces who are positioned outside the town have been shelling civilian residents and medical facilities indiscriminately. No single day passes without shelling and casualties," he told the AP by phone.
Somaliland’s defense ministry has denied shelling the hospital, and the government has asserted it has a "continuous commitment" to a cease-fire it declared on Feb. 10. "Indiscriminate shelling of civilians is unacceptable and must stop," the United Nations
...a formerly good idea gone bad...
and international partners warned last month.
Somaliland separated from Somalia three decades ago and seeks international recognition as an independent country. Somaliland and the Somali state of Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
have disputed Las-Anod for years, but the eastern city has been under Somaliland’s control.
The U.N. mission in Somalia and the U.N. human rights
...which are usually entirely different from personal
liberty...
office had said the violence in Las-Anod killed at least 80 people between Dec. 28 and Feb. 28 and more than 450 noncombatants were maimed, including medical personnel. The U.N. has called for respect for medical workers and unhindered humanitarian access.
The conflict in Las-Anod began when an unidentified gunman killed a popular young politician in Somaliland’s opposition party as he left a mosque. Protests followed against Somaliland officials and forces in the city.
Somaliland’s government has blamed the unrest on fighters with "anti-peace groups and terrorism" and alleged that the al-Shabaab
...... Somalia's version of the Taliban...Arabic for
students...
, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
murderous Moslem group, affiliated with al-Qaeda, has supported some attacks.