The government of Somalia's Puntland state has strongly condemned yesterday's deadly riot in the disputed town of Las Anod, the capital of Sool region where at least two people were killed.

The demonstration was staged against the detention of some of the town's Islamic teachers by the security forces of the unrecognized republic of Somaliland, a separatist region in northwest Somalia.

According to witnesses, the police fired at the crowd that composed of students, teachers and parents, resulting the death and injuries of innocent civilians.

Puntland's Information Ministry said in a statement that the act was symbolic of the "barbaric regime" of Somaliland President Dahir Riyale, terming it as against the human rights of the natives.

"The government of Puntland strongly condemns and accuse Riyale's administration of suppression against the inhabitants of Las Anod. It was inhumane and gross violation of human rights what the police did to the innocent civilians," read the statement.

The statement adds that the police had no regards to Islam, Somalia and good neighborliness at all, while urging the human rights watchdogs and international parties to investigate the incident.

'Exodus'

Meanwhile the residents of Las Anod have started vacating the town for fear of suppression from the Somaliland security forces.

According to Abdirahman Dahir Gas, a local elder who spoke with Garowe Online while in Tuka-Raq village east of Las Anod, the residents expressed concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the town.

"The situation in Las Anod is like that one of Israeli occupied Palestine. Las Anod is under the brutal occupation of Somaliland. They (Somaliland) treat us mercilessly with death and destruction," he said while urging Puntland and its people not to give up on Las Anod.

Las Anod is strategically located along trade routes in northwestern Somalia disputed between Puntland and self-declared republic of Somaliland.

Since its takeover by Somaliland in 2007, the town has not enjoyed peace with residents opposing the new ruler. In January, there was a series of unexplained bombings that targeted Somaliland police and government officials in Las Anod.

Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally.

GAROWE ONLINE