Somaliland: Las Anod POWs in Burao prison say they have been treated well

By M.A. Egge

Some of the prisoners of war (POW) in Lasaanod, who was captured by the National Army, disclosed that there they have not been mistreated nor have they experienced any qualms as prisoners.

The governor of the Togdheer region Mr. Mohamed Abdillahi (Nafaqo) who made a tentative visit to Burao prison witnessed the situation of the prisoners firsthand. Nine of the prisoners of war nabbed in the latest battle in the Las Anod crisis were assembled in an office where they met and talked to the media.

The head of the correctional facility was present.

The RG was told that two of the wounded prisoners who were casualties of the battle had been attended to and the gauze wraps testing to the fact were visible while the third has been referred to surgery.

“We took the three wounded prisoners to the hospital, two of them were wounded, and the third man, a colonel, is to undergo surgery”, said the prison’s boss.

The prisoners who spoke to the media individually said that they are healthy and not subjected to mistreatment.

“We are safe with all the rest of the prisoners who were captured in the war in Goja’ade. I am the most seriously injured of the prisoners, and they are treating me well attending to my injuries”, said one of the prisoners..

“We have noble people who are in charge of our care, and the relatives and friends who came to visit us were granted access. No torture was done to us”, said Colonel Mohamud Mohamed Arsade, the senior most of the captured militiamen.

“I met some of our relatives here and they are being treated well. Let also the other prisoners who are there be treated well and meet their people,” said Mudalib Abdi Shire, another prisoner.

“We were among the prisoners taken in the March 18 war in Las Anod, we came here (Burao prison), we have been here for two days, and we are healthy. We were nine men, the injuries have been treated, and we are telling people who are spreading false rumors to desist from peddling lies”, said Jama Abdirashid, another of the prisoners.