Rising tension forces aid workers out of project area

Tensions between Somalia's self-declared republic of Somaliland and the autonomous region of Puntland have risen, prompting some aid workers to temporarily leave the area, an NGO said.

The German Agro Action organisation has temporarily withdrawn its staff from Burao, Erigavo and Borona. "The conflict has been building up for a long time; but outbreaks of fighting have now become extremely serious," said Peter Sass, head of the NGO's office in Burao, the second main city in Somaliland.

The hostilities were partly caused by a dispute over water, said German Agro Action.  
On 17 September, forces from the two territories clashed in Abeseoley near Los Anod, forcing scores of families to flee their homes.

Both territories claim the town of Los Anod, the capital of Sool region, although it has been held by Puntland forces since December 2003.

Ahmed Aden Arab, the Puntland deputy minister for local government, blamed Somaliland forces for starting the shelling but Somaliland spokesman Said Adani dismissed the accusation.

Sool and Sanag regions fall within the borders of pre-independence British Somaliland, but most of the area's inhabitants, the Warsangeli and Dhulbahante communities, who are members of the larger Darod clan, are associated with residents of Puntland.

"The risk of continuing our work under these conditions is simply too high," Sass said. "We hope to be able to restart our work soon."

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