Hargeisa — Somaliland on Sunday condemned a visit by Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre to the town of Las Anod, warning that the trip could inflame political and security tensions in the disputed region.

In a statement, the Somaliland government said it viewed the prime minister's visit as a violation of what it described as its territorial sovereignty and argued that the move risked undermining efforts to preserve peace and stability.

The administration said such visits would not contribute to peace but could instead deepen existing tensions in the region.

Somaliland called on the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations and international partners to intervene by discouraging what it described as provocative actions and urging Somalia's federal government to avoid steps that could escalate the situation.

The government added that it remained committed to peace, stability and coexistence, but said it would take what it described as the necessary measures to safeguard its security and territory.

The statement came in response to Prime Minister Hamza's visit on Monday to Las Anod, a town at the centre of a long-running territorial dispute between Somaliland and local authorities aligned with Somalia's federal government.