North Eastern State of Somalia: Laascaanood (Las Anod), history and leaders

How it began

The movement is older than the state. The SSC (Sool, Sanaag, Cayn) movement began in the diaspora in 2009. On 12 January 2012 about 2,300 delegates in Taleex declared the Khaatumo State of Somalia (North East State).

In 2023 fighting broke out in Las Anod between local forces and Somaliland's army (Las Anod conflict). On 6 February 2023 Dhulbahante elders declared their wish to rejoin the federation as SSC-Khaatumo. Abdikadir Ahmed Aw-Ali "Firdhiye" became its leader on 5 August 2023 with 30 of 45 votes, and the federal government recognised it as an interim administration on 19 October 2023 (North East State).

Becoming a state

The federal government recognised it as a member state in April 2025. On 30 July 2025 delegates in Las Anod renamed it North Eastern State (Waqooyi Bari). An 83-member parliament was set up on 17 August 2025, and on 30 August 2025 Firdhiye and Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril were elected the first president and vice president (North East State).

Land and people

The capital is Laascaanood. The state covers parts of Sool, Sanaag and Togdheer, including Buuhoodle. Most people are Dhulbahante, and other communities live here too (The EastAfrican). No clan owns the state. In early 2026, 72% of people in Sool were short of food (EUAA Sool).

Overlapping claims

Somaliland claims the same land under its 1991 declaration and opposes the state. Puntland also claims parts of Sool and Sanaag, and in February 2026 it rejected a federal plan for local elections in Sool and Buuhoodle (AllAfrica). Somaliland left talks with the federal government after Mogadishu recognised the state (Heritage Institute, 2025). We set out each position and take no side.

Where this state fits

Article 1 of the 2012 provisional constitution says "Somalia is a federal state". The idea runs through every major peace text from Cairo in 1997 onward, and the 2004 Mbagathi conference adopted it (Heritage Institute). Two or more regions may join to form a member state. Each state has its own leader, parliament and constitution, and works with the federal government in Mogadishu. See the overview page on how the federal system works.