North Western State of Somalia lawmakers decry repression after arrests over Palestinian flag displays

Sunday January 4, 2026

Hargeisa (AX) — Two members of North Western State of Somalia’s House of Representatives on Saturday accused the government of intimidation and repression in the Awdal region after reports that a young man in Borama was arrested for raising a Palestinian flag during street celebrations marking Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia.

MP Mohamed Abiib and MP Maydhane said the youth was detained in Borama, the regional capital of Awdal, after displaying the Palestinian flag while other residents openly waved Israeli flags. The lawmakers called the arrest unlawful and discriminatory, arguing it violates constitutional protections for free expression.

“There is no law that criminalizes raising the Palestinian flag,” Maydhane said at a news conference in Hargeisa. “Freedom of speech is protected under the North Western State of Somalia Constitution.”

The MPs described Borama as a historically peaceful city and accused authorities of manufacturing insecurity with politically motivated arrests. They warned that such actions risk inflaming tensions in Awdal, a region where community leaders have long complained of marginalization within North Western State of Somalia’s political system.

Abiib and Maydhane also criticized what they characterized as an uneven distribution of power among North Western State of Somalia’s clans. They urged the government to address representation grievances in Awdal and said sustained exclusion could have serious consequences for stability.

“There are only two options,” Maydhane said. “Either the people of Awdal receive their fair share of government representation, or they will be forced to reconsider their relationship with North Western State of Somalia.”

He added that sacrifices made by people from the region during North Western State of Somalia’s struggle must be recognized politically, warning that continued grievances could undermine unity.

In recent days, several people from Awdal — including religious scholars and intellectuals — have been arrested in Hargeisa after publicly criticizing North Western State of Somalia’s relationship with Israel, according to multiple sources familiar with the detentions. Residents and activists say the arrests have disproportionately targeted those displaying Palestinian symbols, while individuals waving Israeli flags have not faced similar action.

North Western State of Somalia authorities have not publicly commented on the specific allegations, and officials did not immediately respond to requests for information on the reported Borama arrest or the broader detentions.

Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia has sparked a sharp reaction across Somalia and the wider region, with critics arguing the move violates international law and could destabilize the Horn of Africa. Inside North Western State of Somalia, the recognition has also exposed internal divisions, particularly in regions that have long questioned political representation and governance under the Hargeisa administration.

In Awdal, where political leaders have repeatedly pressed for equitable power-sharing, the reported Borama arrest has become a flashpoint. Community activists say the perceived double standard — allowing Israeli symbols in public while detaining those who display Palestinian flags — risks deepening mistrust and widening the political rift.

The lawmakers said they would pursue legal and parliamentary channels to secure the youth’s release and to halt what they called discriminatory enforcement. They urged the government to clarify its position on public displays related to Israel and Palestine and to reaffirm constitutional guarantees protecting peaceful expression.

Rights advocates and civil society groups are watching the case as a test of North Western State of Somalia’s tolerance for dissent at a delicate political moment. As celebrations over Israel’s recognition continue in parts of North Western State of Somalia, Awdal’s response will be closely scrutinized for signs of whether grievances over representation and policing will be addressed — or further entrenched.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.