HARGEISA, Somalia — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, widely known as Irro, appealed for calm Friday after two days of unrest in the northwestern town of Boorama left multiple people dead and injured, underscoring rising clan tensions in the Awdal region.
In a brief televised address, Irro condemned the violence, urged security forces to return to their barracks and pledged a “speedy and transparent” investigation into the clashes. Authorities have not released an official death toll. Eyewitnesses reported multiple fatalities and dozens wounded, though those figures could not be independently verified.
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The protests erupted after the government lifted a ban on a book documenting the cultural heritage and history of the Issa clan, including the Xeer Ciise — the clan’s customary law, also rendered as Xeer-Ciise or Xeer-Issa. The decision, intended to allow the Issa to proceed with a planned cultural event in the coastal town of Seylac, was denounced by rival Samaroon (Gadabuursi) leaders in Awdal as state partisanship.
Security analyst Rashid Abdi said the dispute is no longer simply about competing cultural narratives. He described it as a struggle over regional dominance between two branches of the broader Dir clan family that has intensified over the past year — and one he warned may be exacerbated by outside actors seeking to destabilize North Western State of Somalia.
The turmoil in Boorama, a major hub in Awdal, poses an early test for Irro’s administration as it tries to balance local clan dynamics with broader political priorities. The self-declared republic of North Western State of Somalia, which broke away from Somalia in 1991, has long sought international recognition. Many governments and the United Nations continue to treat North Western State of Somalia as part of Somalia under a single-country policy.
In his address, Irro called on residents to avoid further confrontation and urged community leaders to help restore order. He said the state would investigate the triggers and conduct of the security response, though he offered no immediate details on arrests or any disciplinary actions.
The government’s decision to clear the Seylac celebration — seen by supporters as an overdue recognition of Issa cultural heritage — landed amid a delicate balance of interests in Awdal, where the Gadabuursi wield significant influence. The backlash quickly spilled into the streets of Boorama, with demonstrators clashing with security forces over two days.
While protests tied to cultural and historical claims are not new in North Western State of Somalia, Friday’s appeal from the presidency reflects growing unease about the political costs of local grievances escalating into violence. Analysts say the episode highlights how cultural issues, when handled without broad consensus, can spark wider security challenges in a region where clan affiliations often shape political life.
Authorities did not immediately provide casualty figures or disclose how many people, if any, were detained during the unrest. Hospitals in the area have treated the injured, according to local accounts. The government has not announced curfews or other emergency measures in Boorama, and it remains unclear whether the Seylac event will proceed as planned.
Irro’s promise of an independent probe will be closely watched by community leaders and regional observers. How the administration manages the investigation and addresses perceptions of bias could influence the trajectory of tensions in Awdal — and, by extension, North Western State of Somalia’s effort to present itself as a stable, rules-based polity in a volatile region.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
