Tukaraq
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Tukaraq is a small town in the eastern
Sool Sool (, ) is a disputed administrative region (gobol). It borders Togdheer to the west, Sanaag to the north, Ethiopia to the south and Nugal, Bari to the east. Its capital city is Las Anod. The region is disputed by the self-declared Republic o ...
region of
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
. The town is located on the road between
Las Anod Las Anod (; ) is the administrative capital of the Sool region, currently controlled by Khatumo State forces aligned with Somalia. Territorial dispute The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the kins ...
and
Garowe Garowe (, ,Las Anod District Las Anod District () is a district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, ...
. Khatumo State has had effective control there since 2023, but
Puntland Puntland is an autonomous state that considers itself to be part of Somalia, despite not accepting the legitimacy of Somalia's current governing administration. It was formed in 1998, and was a federal member state of Somalia from its fou ...
also has a territorial claim.


History

The name "Tukerak" appears in a book published in England in 1951, and its coordinates are given as 8°32′N 47°47′19″E, rather close to today's
Las Anod Las Anod (; ) is the administrative capital of the Sool region, currently controlled by Khatumo State forces aligned with Somalia. Territorial dispute The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the kins ...
. In August 1997, a water project was also implemented in Tukaraq as part of UNICEF's "Las-Anod water project".


Puntland military base

In October 2007, Somaliland forces entered Las Anod, previously controlled by Puntland, and the Puntland forces withdrew 50 kilometers east to Tukaraq without a fight. On May 30, 2011, Somaliland forces sortied from a base in Maraaga, 5 kilometers from the city of Las Anod, and engaged in battle with Puntland forces in the village of Higladda, 20 kilometers west of Tukaraq. And SSC militiamen led by
Ahmed Elmi Osman Ahmed Elmi Osman 'Karash' (, ) Ahmed Karaash is a former Vice President of Puntland from 8 January 2019 to 8 January 2024. Personal life Osman belongs to the Naleye Ahmed sub-subsection of the Mohamoud Garad branch of the Dhulbahante Harti ...
fought with Somaliland forces. Local residents said that both Somaliland and Puntland forces were killed, but the leaders of both forces denied it. In 2012, the SSC militia established a temporary customs office in Tukaraq. In April 2012,
Khatumo State SSC-Khaatumo (), officially known as the SSC-Khaatumo State of Somalia (), is a federal member state in northern Somalia, with its capital in Las Anod. It includes parts of the Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions (combined under the acronym "SSC") ...
forces attacked a Somaliland military base outside Tukaraq, but were repulsed by Somaliland forces. In June 2012, Khatumo State forces captured Tukaraq, which was controlled by Puntland forces. A few days later, Somaliland forces withdrew the Khatumo forces, but they turned back to their stronghold in Las Anod. A few hours later, Puntland forces occupied Tukaraq. It is said that on this occasion, the Somaliland forces received a large sum of money at Puntland's request and withdrew the Khatumo army. In November 2013, Puntland and Khatumo forces engaged in a battle in northern Tukaraq, which was won by Puntland forces. In December 2014, soldiers revolted after the Puntland government failed to pay soldiers facing Somaliland for four months and failed to supply them with oil and other supplies. In April 2015, the Puntland government sent a team including an obstetrician to Tukaraq. In May 2015, Puntland increased its forces in Tukaraq.


Capture by Somaliland

On 8 January 2018, Somaliland forces occupied Tukaraq after heavy fighting with Puntland forces. This was ordered by the President of Somaliland immediately after the elections. This successfully prevented Somaliland from getting goods from
Bosaso Bosaso (, ), historically known as Bender Qassim is a city in the northeastern Bari province ('' gobol'') of Somalia. It is the seat of the Bosaso District. Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, the municipality serves as the region ...
in Puntland to Las Anod. Puntland moved the customs location to Faliidhyaale, 25 kilometers east of Tukaraq. The incident resulted in several deaths and nearly 15,000 displaced persons. In late January 2018, the Vice President of Somaliland visited Tukaraq. On 15 May 2018 intense increase in military activity occurred between rival Puntland and Somaliland armed forces in the surrounding area of Tukaraq. Both Somaliland and Puntland have accused the other of initiating the violence. On 24 May 2018 rival groups between Somaliland and Puntland, both participating in the ongoing conflict in the Sool region, released press statements claiming that the opposing side had launched a predawn offensive around 05:30 AM local time. According to a 2022 USAID report, this is seen as the last full-scale battle between Somaliland and Puntland. In November 2018, The United Nations envoy to Somalia visited Puntland and Somaliland to explain to their respective presidents the need for a peaceful solution to the problems occurring in Tukaraq. In March 2020, the Vice President of Puntland visits the Puntland military base outside Tukaraq. In September 2022, the President of Somaliland visited Tukaraq.


2023 Las Anod conflict

In February 2023, Somaliland troops withdraw from Tukaraq. They traveled west about 50 kilometers to a base outside of Las Anod. However, in March 2023, the Somalia news website
Hiiraan Online ''Hiiraan Online'' (HOL) is a website dedicated to news and information about Somalia and the Horn of Africa. It was founded in 1999 to deliver news to the growing Somali diaspora and is also based in Somalia. It is run and based in Ottawa, Canad ...
introduced that "Tukaraq has been effectively controlled by Somaliland since 2018." In April 2023, SSC-Khatumo cut off traffic between Tukaraq and Gambadhe. In July 2023, Somaliland's Interior Minister
Mohamed Kahin Ahmed Mohamed Kahin Ahmed (, ) is a Somaliland politician and former military officer of the Somali National Movement. He serves as chairman of the Peace, Unity, and Development Party, Kulmiye party since 21 August 2023. He also served as the Ministry ...
accused the Puntland government of sending troops to Tukaraq. In August 2023, American conservative think tank
Hudson Institute Hudson Institute is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1961 in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, by futurist Herman Kahn and his colleagues at the RAND Corporation. Kahn ...
reported that the flags of Somalia, Puntland, and SSC are flying in the center of Tukaraq.


Demographics

The town's main inhabitants belong to the
Dhulbahante The Dhulbahante, (, ) are a Somali sub-clan, part of the Harti branch of the larger Darod clan. They primary reside in and around their traditional territories of Nugaal, as well as Doollo. The clan's progenitor is buried at Badweyn. The cur ...
tribe of the
Darod The Darod (, ) is a Somali clan. The forefather of this clan is Sheikh Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, more commonly known as Darod. The clan primarily settles the apex of the Horn of Africa and its peripheries, the Somali hinterlands adjacent ...
, with the Ugadhyahan sub-clans of the
Mohamoud Garad The Mohamoud Garad (, , Full Name:'' ’Mohamoud Shirshore Habarwa Abdullah Muse Said Saleh Abdi Mohamed Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti'' ) is a Somali clan. Its members form a part of the Dhulbahante, a sub-division of the Harti/Darod clan ...
such as the
Galool Oriye The Mohamoud Garad (, , Full Name:'' ’Mohamoud Shirshore Habarwa Abdullah Muse Dhulbahante, Said Harti, Saleh Abdi Darod, Mohamed Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti'' ) is a Somali clan. Its members form a part of the Dhulbahante, a sub-divisio ...
affiliated lineages of the
Nur Ahmed Nur Ahmed (born 1928), also known as Tin Maung, was a Burmese Rohingya legislator, health worker and activist. He was a CEC member of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights. He was elected to the Parliament of Myanmar in 1990. Early lif ...
and Wacays Abdulle, as well as with the sub-lineages belonging to the
Naleye Ahmed The Mohamoud Garad (, , Full Name:'' ’Mohamoud Shirshore Habarwa Abdullah Muse Dhulbahante, Said Harti, Saleh Abdi Darod, Mohamed Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti'' ) is a Somali clan. Its members form a part of the Dhulbahante, a sub-divisio ...
are well represented.Taariikhdii daraawiishta iyo Sayid Maxamad Cabdille Xasan, PAGE 176, 2005


See also

*
Administrative divisions of Somaliland The administrative division of Somaliland are organized into three hierarchical levels. consists of 6 Regions of Somaliland, regions and 22 Districts of Somaliland, districts. Districts in turn contain villages. In addition, the capital Hargeis ...
*
Regions of Somaliland The regions of Somaliland (; ) is divided into six administrative regions, Awdal, Sahil, Maroodi-Jeeh, Togdheer, Sanaag and Sool. These are in turn subdivided into twenty-two districts. Regions of Somaliland are the primary geographical ...
*
Districts of Somaliland The Districts of Somaliland (also known as local government districts) are second-level administrative subdivisions of Somaliland, below the level of Regions of Somaliland, region. There are a total of 22 district, each district is rated A, B ...
*
Somalia–Somaliland border The Somalia–Somaliland border (; ) is the disputed border between Somalia and the self-declared sovereign state of Somaliland. It is an international border that separates two countries, while the Somali government and most other countries r ...


References

{{Reflist
Fiqi Tukaraq, Somalia
Populated places in Sool, Somaliland Somalia–Somaliland border crossings