Hargeisa(Mogadishu24)-The Breakaway Republic of Somaliland has voiced serious concerns over the alarming increase in arms proliferation in Somalia, following recent incidents near the Abdudwak district in the Galgudud region.

In the past three months, Al-Shabaab has successfully captured substantial quantities of weaponry from government forces in central Somalia. The latest incident in Abudwak, where civilians and clan militias seized a large cache of weapons and ammunition from the two trucks, has further exacerbated the critical security situation.

Somaliland officials have highlighted these events as a stark reminder of the longstanding concerns held by Somaliland and other frontline states regarding the lifting of the arms embargo on Somalia.

Despite repeated warnings, the embargo was lifted in December 2023. The proliferation of captured arms, now widely documented on social media, raises significant questions about the decision’s timing and wisdom.

“Given the Mogadishu government’s apparent inability to secure its arms stockpiles and the potential catastrophic consequences, the Somaliland government calls upon the United Nations and the international community to urgently re-evaluate their decision to lift the arms embargo,” Somaliland’s Ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement.

Somaliland is urging the international community to take immediate steps to address this crisis and prevent further destabilization of the region. The government stressed the need for a reassessment of international policies to ensure that arms do not continue to fall into the hands of terrorist groups and militias, threatening the stability and security of the entire region.