London BBC World Service “Focus on Africa” program (in English) — 1705 GMT

Mohamed Egal’s administration in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland is going through tough times. There have been reports of fighting by secessionist Issas of the United Somali Front, USF, on the Djibouti border this week, and for months there’s been skirmishing around the town of Burao between Egal’s forces and SNM (Somali National Movement) militias loyal to his ousted predecessor, Abdirahman Tur. Nobody seems to know who is in control of Burao from one day to the next. Well, now Adam Abdi Hasan Delideli, who says he represents Tur’s SNM, has called us from Djibouti to claim there’s now fresh fight- ing near the Somaliland capital, Hargeysa. Alice Martin asked him exactly what he was claiming:

[Begin recording]

[Delideli] We are claiming that in the morning of today, at four o’clock at dawn, we have launched an all out war on Hargeysa Airport and the vicinity of Hargeysa.

[Martin] And what else happened?

[Delideli] Well, a very big battle has, you know, happened between the Egal regime and the SNM forces and the SNM, after an intensive war of one hour, has succeeded to control the Hargeysa International Airport and the surrounding area.

[Martin] So you say that you have gained the airport from Fresident Egal’s men?

[Delideli] Correct. We are in full control of Hargeysa International Airport at this moment.

[Martin] How can I believe what you’re saying if you’re speaking from Djibouti and you left the area yesterday?

[Delideli] Because I just received, you know, the report from the SNM commander of the field.

[Martin] And he telephoned you?

[Delideli] No, he contacted me through another means which they call Vonio [as heard].

[Martin] What’s that, a radio?

[Delideli] Yap! [as heard]

[Martin] Is this connected to the fighting that is also happening on the border near Djibouti, which is being led by the United Somali Front?

[Delideli] Well, there is a great relationship between the two movements because we are all fighting this tyrant regime of Egal and we are intending to liberate the (?laws) of Somalia completely out of Egal.

[Martin] What precise details do you have of the fighting in Hargeysa that you claim began this morning?

[Delideli] Precisely, the actual report that I have just received from the commander, Mr. Mire, who has confirmed that, you know, the Hargeysa Airport has already fallen imo our hands, and also an important locations of Hargaysa include the ex-military command location in Hargeysa and the surrounding areas.

[Martin] Is fighting still going on?

[Delideli] It’s absolutely going on inside Hargeysa. It’s a very conventional which all there, you know, equipment are used. [sentence as heard]

[Martin] Now, Mr. Hassan Delideli, you say that you are the SNM representative in Saudi Arabia. What are you doing in Djibouti? [Delideli] Well, I’m on my way out to Saudi Arabia.

[Martin] And what were you doing in Somaliland?

[Delideli] Well, I was just making a business trip to the SNM, you know, our people there, just to check the achievement and progressive steps that they have already done.

[Delideli] Well, because they don’t have the means right now.

[Martin] And you are going back to Saudi Arabia now?

[Delideli] Correct, I will be going out of Djibouti within the coming couple of days.

[End recording]

_{FBIS-AFR-95-162, 22 Aug. 1995, pp. 5-6}