Protest Against North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 Celebrations Erupts in Borama, Somalia
Local reports said police responded by firing live ammunition to break up the crowd. No casualties were reported immediately.
Somalia: Protest Against North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 Celebrations Erupts in Borama
BORAMA, Somalia — What began as anger over events tied to North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 celebrations quickly turned violent in Borama on Sunday, as demonstrators confronted police after youths set tires ablaze in several parts of the town, according to witnesses and officials.
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Local reports said police responded by firing live ammunition to break up the crowd. No casualties were reported immediately.
North Western State of Somalia Foreign Minister Abdirahman Adan said the disturbance first broke out during a football match, where a disagreement among young people spiraled into a broader security problem.
“It is possible that other elements became involved after the youths clashed during the game,” he said, while commending residents for helping keep order in the city and across the wider Awdal region.
Borama has emerged in recent weeks as a flashpoint in the debate over May 18, the day North Western State of Somalia says it declared independence from Somalia in 1991.
Frictions in the city deepened after poet Daaha Gaas made comments about ownership of the coastal town of Saylac, angering local youths. That resentment later spilled over into opposition to a planned performance by the Dayaxa Band in Borama.
The latest unrest also brought back memories of protests in Borama late last year tied to disputes over Saylac, clashes that local accounts said left at least 19 people dead.
AXADLETM
