Somaliland

North Western State of Somalia says 19 killed, 214 injured as Borama protests over Xeer Ciise turn deadly BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Nineteen people were killed and 214 others injured in clashes between security forces and demonstrators earlier this month in Borama, the capital of North Western State of Somalia’s Awdal region, authorities said. The newly appointed governor of Awdal, Abdirashid Hassan Mataan, said the fatalities included one woman. Of the injured, 194 sustained minor wounds. He said 20 people…

BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Nineteen people were killed and 214 injured in clashes between security forces and demonstrators during protests earlier this month in Borama, the capital of the Awdal region, North Western State of Somalia authorities said Friday. Abdirashid Hassan Mataan, the newly appointed governor of Awdal, said the dead included one woman. He detailed the toll after formally assuming office Thursday, adding that most of the wounded have been treated and released while those still hospitalized…

Monday December 15, 2025 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Drilling for crude oil in North Western State of Somalia is expected to begin by 2027, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro said Monday, outlining what officials describe as a long-awaited step toward potential production after years of exploration and delays. Speaking at the North Western State of Somalia Mining Expo in Hargeisa, Irro said the first well could be spudded within two years, with the timeline pulling forward if technical and contractual…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — North Western State of Somalia authorities on Sunday rejected claims from Somalia’s federal government that talks between the two sides are under way, declaring the long-running dialogue “formally ceased” and accusing Mogadishu of “blatant interference” in its internal affairs. In a statement posted on X, North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it wanted to “clarify that there are no ongoing talks with Somalia,” adding that Hargeisa “officially suspended…

North Western State of Somalia on edge as rival elders mobilize after Borama killings; military probes claims of foreign snipers HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Fears of clan conflict surged Sunday in North Western State of Somalia’s western regions after rival elders in Awdal and Salal declared they were prepared for war, while the military said it is investigating reports that “foreign shooters” may have killed civilians during unrest in Borama. The warnings followed the government’s decision to cancel the Issa…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Information Minister Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayaanle resigned late Saturday, saying he was tasked with delivering a “bitter decision” to allow a book launch celebrating Xeer Ciise that preceded deadly unrest in the Awdal region’s Borama town. Ayaanle said President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi assigned him to announce the authorization for the ceremony, which triggered clashes between residents and security forces that left 10 people dead, according to local authorities and community…

Somalia says it maintains direct contacts with North Western State of Somalia, seeks political solution amid rising Horn of Africa stakes MOGADISHU — Somalia’s government is engaging in direct and regular contact with authorities in North Western State of Somalia and pursuing a negotiated political settlement, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad said in an interview published Saturday. Speaking to Doha News, Balcad reaffirmed the federal government’s position that North Western State of Somalia remains part…

Saturday December 6, 2025 Borama, North Western State of Somalia — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro on Saturday canceled a planned Xeer Ciise book launch and commemoration set for December 14 in the port town of Saylac, after two days of deadly protests in Borama left at least 10 people dead in clashes between security forces and civilians. Speaking to reporters in Hargeisa, Irro said he was honoring a request from traditional elders who arrived in Borama earlier Saturday and urged…

North Western State of Somalia MP accuses security forces of shooting civilians as Borama unrest leaves at least 10 dead At least 10 people were reported killed over two days of unrest in Borama, the capital of North Western State of Somalia’s Awdal region, as a lawmaker accused national security forces of deliberately shooting unarmed civilians and President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro ordered troops to return to their bases. MP Mohamed Abiib Yusuf says civilians were shot amid clashes in Borama President Irro…

Two killed as Borama protests over Xeer Ciise commemoration turn deadly North Western State of Somalia police urge calm after Saylac book event triggers unrest; accusations of excessive force mount BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Two young men were killed and several others injured as protests over a planned commemoration of the Xeer Ciise book in Saylac escalated in Borama from late Thursday into Friday, prompting a heightened security deployment and appeals for calm from authorities. The Xeer Ciise refers to the…