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By Bileh Jelan @Bilejelan
Addis Ababa, December 28, 2020 – The regional states of Afar and Somali exchanged serious accusations after the resumption of violence over the weekend left dozens of civilians and security forces dead.
In the last week of October this year, two separate attacks on two separate occasions in the regional state of Afar have left several civilians dead and injured. Among those killed on October 28 were two members of the federal education ministry staff in an attack that was attributed to an unknown armed group by both the Afar regional state and the federal education ministry. At least 27 people were killed in a deadlier attack announced the next day on October 29 by the Somali state’s regional communication affairs office in what the office said was a clash on the border between Afar and Somali regional states in the days before the announcement.
Exactly one year earlier, in October 2019, cases of another killing of civilians along the border between the two regional states in which at least 16 people were killed led to social media activists on both sides blaming the nature of the attacks. Somali activists blame this repeated violence on the Afar Regional Special Forces, while activists in the Afar region blame the “illegal settlers of Issa aided by the federal police.”
Now the accusations and counter-accusations have morphed into both regional states that exchanged blame for a violence on Sunday, December 27, that killed dozens of civilians that neither region disclosed in detail.
At first, several reports claimed that the Afar Regional Special Forces attacked a Somalia Regional State Special Forces camp in Danlahelay in the Somalia Regional State in Afdem Woreda, Sitti Area, resulting in the unconfirmed death of 39 members of the Somalia Regional State Special Forces and left scores injured. Not long after, the Somalia Regional State Communications Office released a statement on its official Facebook page expressing regret at the “murder and injury of innocent people in Helei Kebele, Afdem Woreda.” The Declaration, which discredited reports of injuries among members of its Special Forces, further said, “in the past, the TPLF, Afar rebels, and Afar Regional State Special Forces used heavy weapons previously used by the TPLF to inflict many civilian casualties. “
In describing the cases of infiltration by unknown forces, the statement further stated: “It is a fact that destructive forces have infiltrated the border kebeles of the Somali region and are responsible for the massacre of innocent Somali civilians,” and uses words as “Genocide” to describe the murders. “While any crime against humanity or property is considered a crime, genocide is the worst crime of all time,” the statement said without describing the nature of the weekend’s deadly violence. “Any physical or psychological harm, including discrimination and murder based on language, race or similar factors, is a significant manifestation of genocide.”
The Somali regional state claimed that it made several attempts by its administration to reach a peaceful solution to the recurring conflict through discussions with different stakeholders that were to no avail. “Our repeated efforts have not been fruitful.”
Today, the Afar Regional State published its own statement on its Facebook page, a copy of which was sent to Addis Standard by Ahmed Koloyta, Head of the Afar Regional Communication Office. While admitting to the killings, the nature of which he did not explain, the statement from the Afara region accused the Somali regional state of “declaring open war” in the region.
“Early yesterday [December 27] at 5:00 am in the morning there was a known terrorist attack in Zone three, Gewane Woreda, Firitli and Refo kebeles, “the statement said and expressed his condolences for the people who” were killed on both sides.
“The attack was carried out by an organized group from Issa,” the statement said, further accusing the Somalia Regional Administration of using inflammatory statements intended to escalate the conflict and evade responsibility. “While we are all autonomous regional states under the sovereignty of one nation, the regional state of Somalia has continued to declare war. They are publishing these statements to cover up the criminals. “
The Afar regional state administration also called on the Somali regional state to “withdraw its Special Forces from Afari territories and refrain from covering up anti-peace forces.”
The Afar region also dismissed reports suggesting its Special Forces involvement in the border conflict, calling it “False”, while highlighting the role of the Afar Regional Special Forces in the “Law Enforcement Operation “ongoing in the regional state of Tigray. He also accused the Somalia Regional Administration of fomenting anti-peace elements and, at the same time, urged that “we would like us to work together to strengthen unity.”
While both statements offer little explanation about the nature of the attacks over the weekend and authorities in both regions refrained from answering questions, the statements by both regional administrations blamed external “destructive forces against peace” for the violence. repeated that continued to claim the lives of civilians. AS
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