-How a decisive victory gave way to restraint, humanity, and a new federal future
By Dr Abdijalil Hassan
The ancient paradox of peace, that one must prepare for war to enjoy peace has haunted nations for millennia. But in North Somalia, a new and more hopeful iteration of this paradox has emerged. It is a story of a people forced to take up arms, not to conquer, but to expel from their land a tyrannical, de facto secessionist entity, And then, at the very moment of victory, they chose to lay those arms down.
The birth of the North Eastern State ( formerly SSC-Khaatumo) as Somalia’s 6th Federal Member State is not a story of endless warfare. Rather, it is the story of a paradox turned on its head: a military victory that immediately gave way to territorial restraint, humane treatment of defeated enemies, and a unilateral cessation of hostilities.
A Defensive War, Not an Expansionist One
By mid-2023, the long-simmering tensions between the communities of the Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn (SSC) regions and the Somaliland administration had erupted into open conflict. For the people of Las Anod and its surrounding areas, the issue was existential: they rejected Somaliland’s claim to their ancestral lands and sought either a return to Somalia’s federal fold or self-administration.
When Somaliland forces launched a massive offensive in August 2023, they expected a swift victory. Instead, they met a fierce and organized resistance from SSC-Khaatumo forces, who had finally united under a single command. Within days, the tide turned. In a stunning reversal, Somaliland’s army was routed, losing key military bases including the strategic Goojacade garrison. Hundreds of Somaliland soldiers were captured, and their remaining forces fled westward in disarray.
For any conventional armed movement, this would have been the moment to advance. To pursue the fleeing enemy. To seize new territory and expand one’s borders. But the North Eastern State did the opposite.
On the very day that North Eastern armed forces secured their decisive victory over Somaliland troops, their leadership made a deliberate and consequential choice: they stopped.
Despite having the momentum and the capacity to march into Somaliland’s remaining strongholds in Oog, Bura’o, and beyond, the North Eastern State’s fighters did not cross the invisible line that would have turned their defensive war into an offensive conquest. They remained strictly within the boundaries of the SSC regions , territories they had always considered their own.
“We are not an expansionist movement,” a senior North Eastern State official told local media in the days following the victory. “Our struggle was never about taking land from others. It was about reclaiming our right to self-governance within the territorial integrity of Somalia.”
The message was clear: the North Eastern State sees itself as a Federal Member State of the Federal Republic of Somalia, not a breakaway republic nor a regional empire. Its borders are not ambitions ,they are fixed. Unlike many victorious armies throughout history, the North Eastern State had no desire to redraw the map.
Humane Treatment of Prisoners of War
The paradox deepened when news emerged of how the captured Somaliland soldiers were being treated. In a region where revenge killings and prisoner abuse have often been the grim norm, the North Eastern State chose a different path.
Prisoners of war were given food, water, and medical care. They were not paraded through the streets for public humiliation. Instead, the leadership quietly worked with international humanitarian organizations and the Federal Government of Somalia to ensure that the detainees’ basic rights were respected. In a particularly striking gesture, the North Eastern State agreed to release 25 sick and frail prisoners of war to the federal authorities as a sign of good faith.
“We are not enemies of the Isaaq people of Somaliland,” a commander explained on condition of anonymity. “We have a political disagreement with their leadership. But the young conscripts we captured are our brothers. They will be treated as such.”
International observers noted that while any captivity is inherently difficult, the North Eastern State’s handling of prisoners of war was remarkably humane compared to many other conflicts in the Horn of Africa. It was a conscious attempt to break the cycle of violence.
The Declaration of Cessation of Hostilities
Perhaps the most remarkable act came immediately after the battlefield victory. On the very same day that Goojacade fell and Somaliland’s forces were in full retreat, the North Eastern State issued a formal declaration: cessation of hostilities.
They had achieved their military objective ,the expulsion of Somaliland forces from the SSC regions. They had no further desire to fight. The declaration was unilateral, meaning it did not require a reciprocal promise from Somaliland. The message was unambiguous: we are done with war.
In the months that followed, this ceasefire held. Despite sporadic skirmishes and political tensions, the North Eastern State did not launch any new offensives. They dismantled many of their front-line positions and began the difficult work of civil administration setting up courts, distributing aid, and integrating into Somalia’s federal system.
Staying Within Somalia’s Federal Framework
The ultimate expression of this paradox of peace has been the North Eastern State’s unwavering commitment to Somalia’s territorial integrity. Unlike Somaliland, which continues to pursue full international recognition as a separate country, the North Eastern State has formally accepted its status as a Federal Member State under Mogadishu’s sovereignty.
“Our land is Somali land. Our flag is the Somali flag,” said a representative during the state’s formation ceremonies. “We fought to be free from one particular administration, not to break Somalia apart. We want a strong, united, and federal Somalia.”
This is the final layer of the paradox: an armed struggle that could have fragmented Somalia further has instead reinforced the unity of the Somali state. The North Eastern State has effectively argued that Somaliland’s claim to the SSC regions violates Somalia’s unity, and that by defeating Somaliland’s military presence, they have restored, not broken the country’s territorial integrity.
A New Model for the Horn
The “North Somalia paradox of peace” offers a rare and hopeful lesson. In a region where military victories often lead to massacres, land grabs, and endless cycles of revenge, the North Eastern State chose restraint. It chose humanity. And it chose to stop fighting the moment its core political objective was achieved.
Of course, peace is not yet fully secured. Somaliland has not abandoned its claims. Political negotiations remain fragile. Humanitarian needs are immense. But the foundation has been laid not by an unconditional surrender of one side, but by a victor that had the wisdom to know when enough was enough.
That, in the end, is the truest paradox of peace: sometimes, the strongest military decision is the decision not to use your military at all.
