UNESCO-listed Issa clan customary law ceremony ignites unrest in Zeila
Clashes in Zeila over UNESCO-listed Xeer Ciise ceremony prompt heavy police response
Zeila, North Western State of Somalia — Police in the historic Red Sea outpost of Zeila deployed in force late Thursday after rival community groups clashed over plans to hold a ceremony celebrating Xeer Ciise, the Issa clan’s customary legal code recently inscribed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. By nightfall, authorities said the streets were calm, but elders warned the dispute is far from over.
The confrontation…