HARGEISA, Somaliland – Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Cirro” has delayed a planned Xeer Ciise ceremony in Saylac after violent clashes in Borama left families grieving and an entire city on edge.
At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured when demonstrations against the ceremony escalated into confrontations with security forces. Residents described a day of fear, with streets suddenly erupting into chaos as gunfire rang out and families rushed to shelter indoors.
“We heard shots everywhere. People were running, shouting. It felt like the whole city was breaking apart,” said Jama Ali, a Borama resident who witnessed the clashes.
The violence has shaken the region. Somaliland’s information minister, Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayanle, resigned shortly after the incident — a move reflecting the political pressure mounting on Hargeisa’s leadership. Many locals accused the government of mishandling tensions linked to the planned ceremony, which some feared could heighten clan sensitivities in the area.
Somaliland authorities, for their part, blamed Somalia’s federal government for “deliberately stoking” unrest in the city. In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs promised a full investigation into the civilian deaths and said it would work with community elders to restore calm. It urged international partners to reject what it called Mogadishu’s “destabilizing interference.”
But in Mogadishu, the tone was markedly different. Somalia’s federal government expressed “deep regret” over the loss of life and extended condolences to affected families. It called on Somaliland authorities to listen to “local grievances” and take steps to prevent further violence. Officials said they were prepared to help provide medical assistance to those wounded in the clashes.
Community leaders in Borama now face the task of helping a traumatized population heal. Hospitals remain crowded with the injured, and families continue to search for missing relatives as authorities begin their investigations.
For many residents, the future feels uncertain. “We just want peace,” said Nor Khalif Dahir, a father whose teenage son was wounded in the clashes. “Whatever the politics are, people here are the ones paying the price.”
