Borama (Somalia Today) — Somaliland’s president has scrapped a contentious clan ceremony and blamed the Federal Government of Somalia for fuelling deadly unrest in Borama, deepening a political and clan crisis in the Awdal region.
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” said on Saturday that he cancelled the planned Xeer Ciise commemoration in the coastal town of Zeila “in the public interest” after two nights of protests left several people dead and dozens wounded in Awdal’s capital.
The clashes erupted late on Thursday after Hargeisa authorised a celebration of Xeer Ciise, the Issa clan’s customary code that the UN cultural agency recently added to its list of intangible heritage.
Residents say the decision to stage the event in Zeila — a district Gadabuursi communities claim as their heartland — crossed a red line and turned a cultural ceremony into a political flashpoint.
Soon afterwards, crowds poured onto the streets of Borama, some carrying Awdal State flags and accusing the authorities of rewarding rival claimants to their land. Security forces moved in as night fell, and the stand-off quickly escalated.
Local media and activists say 16 people were killed and more than 60 were injured after troops fired live rounds while trying to clear roadblocks and disperse protesters.
In a televised address on Saturday, Irro said that “as president, I have today cancelled the Xeer Ciise commemoration” to stop further bloodshed and protect “the general welfare and feelings” of Somalilanders.
He appealed directly to residents of Awdal to stay calm, urged “all the people of Somaliland” to defend unity and stability, and told security forces to restore order while avoiding new casualties.
Dueling statements
Meanwhile, as the president tried to cool the streets, Hargeisa and Mogadishu moved to shape the narrative of the crisis.
Somaliland’s foreign ministry issued an English-language statement accusing the Somali federal government of “continued interference and destabilizing actions” over the Borama unrest.
The press release said Mogadishu’s moves were “deliberate, coordinated, and clearly intended to inflame tensions, fuel misinformation, and widen divisions within Somaliland’s peaceful and stable communities.”
The ministry called the conduct “a serious breach of international norms” and said Somaliland would not accept “external security manipulation” aimed at undermining public order or inciting violence.
It also urged regional partners and other international actors to reject what it described as Somalia’s destabilising behaviour.
For its part, Mogadishu answered with its own appeal. The federal interior ministry released a Somali-language statement describing the Borama violence as “regrettable and avoidable”, sending condolences to the families of the dead and wishing the wounded a speedy recovery.
The statement urged Somaliland “to listen to the concerns of Borama residents” and protect civilians.
At the same time, the federal government said it stood ready to assist in treating the injured and called on elders, business leaders, women, and youth in Awdal to de-escalate tensions and prevent further clashes.
Hospital outrage
Inside Somaliland, the security crackdown has also triggered rare open criticism of the forces on the ground.
The KAAH party, a key player in the governing coalition, issued a statement condemning alleged abuses by security personnel at Borama General Hospital.
Party leaders said they were “deeply alarmed” by reports that armed units entered the hospital and mistreated wounded civilians — behaviour they described as a grave violation of law, human dignity and Somali social values.
As a result, KAAH urged all parties to respect the neutrality and sanctity of medical facilities in all circumstances and said any officials implicated in abuses must face accountability under Somaliland law.
The party also appealed to humanitarian agencies and the wider public to reinforce Borama’s overstretched health services and to stand by health workers “who continue their human-centred mission” in the city.
Meanwhile, police in Awdal have urged residents to stay off the streets and warned that anyone who joins “violent riots” will be arrested.
In a statement, the force said it would “deal firmly” with those orchestrating the unrest while working to restore calm and protect civilians.
Clan charter dispute
At the heart of the crisis lies a long-running territorial dispute over Zeila, the historic Red Sea port at the centre of rival Issa and Gadabuursi narratives.
Xeer Ciise is the oral legal code of the Issa, who live across Djibouti, Ethiopia’s Somali region, and north-western Somalia.
Last year, UNESCO’s heritage committee placed the tradition on its Representative List, praising its role in conflict resolution and community governance.
Issa leaders say the Zeila ceremony is a peaceful cultural celebration tied to that recognition, not a land grab.
By contrast, Gadabuursi elders argue that, in the current climate, any high-profile event in Zeila looks like an attempt to entrench Issa claims over the district and humiliate communities who see the town as part of their own historic territory.
Regional stakes
The Borama unrest comes less than two years after the neighbouring Sool region slid into open conflict around Las Anod, where clashes between Somaliland forces and local militias left hundreds dead and tens of thousands displaced.
That fighting badly damaged Somaliland’s reputation as a relatively stable enclave and alarmed partners who see the territory as a key hub along trade and migration routes in the Horn of Africa.
Analysts say the fresh bloodshed in Awdal now raises questions about how Somaliland manages political dissent, how it handles peripheral clan grievances, and how Mogadishu itself navigates contested regions while claiming national authority.
For now, Irro’s decision to cancel the Xeer Ciise event and order a troop pullback from Borama has eased immediate fears of a wider confrontation.
However, residents say the deeper dispute over land, history, and political representation in Awdal remains unresolved and could flare again if talks stall.
Community leaders are also watching to see whether independent investigations into the killings will move ahead, whether security forces accused of excessive force will face scrutiny, and whether both Somaliland and the federal government can dial down their rhetoric.
Ultimately, Somaliland’s foreign ministry insists that “unity and stability remain unwavering” and that no external actor will succeed in destabilising what it calls the territory’s social harmony.
Elders in Borama say the promise now depends on concrete steps to address local grievances—and on whether rival capitals stop using their city as a proxy battleground.
