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Somali Breakaway Republic Burns Djibouti Tycoon's Cigarettes
Reports reaching here indicated that tension is rising in the town of Berbera in the breakaway republic of Somaliland after the forces loyal to the self-styled president Mohamed Hajji Ibrahim Egal burned to ashes a large stock of cigarettes on Thursday.
According to eyewitnesses in the town, the forces of Egal confiscated the stock of cigarettes from some businessmen Wednesday night, of which over 3,030 cartoons belonged to tycoon businessman from neighboring Djibouti, Abdurahman Borreh, who is a close clan ally of Djibouti President Ismael Omar Ghuelleh.
Borreh has contributed large amounts of money to the meeting in Artah, Djibouti, last year in which the new government of Somalia was established under the brokering of Ghuelleh.
The confiscated cigarettes are valued at more than 800,000 US dollars, businessmen said.
Officials from the breakaway republic of Somaliland claimed that the businessmen were notified two months ago not to bring the cigarettes in the areas now controlled by their administration. However, the businessmen denied that any such orders were ever issued.
It is observed that the burning of the cigarettes may further worsen the relations between Djibouti and the breakaway republic.
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