Two killed in Borama clashes over Xeer Isse book launch

Two people were killed and at least ten others were injured during violent protests that erupted last night in Borama, the capital of Somaliland’s Awdal region. The unrest was triggered by a government decision to permit the launch of a book on Xeer Isse, a traditional clan charter recently recognized by UNESCO, which has been at the center of heated clan tensions in recent weeks.

According to eyewitnesses, dozens of protesters took to the streets to express their anger over the decision. They blocked several main roads and set car tires on fire before the situation escalated into direct clashes with police forces, who had deployed heavily around government offices and major roads.

Dr. Sahal Ahmed, director of Borama Hospital, confirmed to the BBC Somali that the hospital had received the body of one person and around ten others with varying injuries, following the use of live ammunition during the dispersal of the demonstrators. It was not immediately clear whether all the injuries were caused by gunfire or by the stampede and chaos accompanying the protests.

Local sources reported that some protesters caused material damage to several government buildings in the city, including the local branch of the Central Bank, while markets remained closed for hours amid a heightened security presence and visible tension in the streets. Until the time of writing, no official statement had been issued by Awdal authorities or the police forces regarding the incident.

These developments come as an extension of earlier tensions witnessed in the coastal city of Zeila in recent weeks, following the announcement of plans to hold a celebration there marking the inclusion of Xeer Ciise on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The controversy surrounding the event led to limited protests and the arrest of several youths, prompting the Somaliland government to dispatch a delegation headed by Interior and Security Minister Abdullahi Mohamed Arab. The delegation held consultations with elders and local leaders in Awdal, resulting, according to community sources, in a preliminary understanding aimed at calming the tension and opening dialogue between the government and traditional leaders on de-escalating the tension.

Parallel to these internal dynamics, some observers believe the situation is tied to broader regional calculations. They argue that the Djiboutian regime led by Ismail Omar Guelleh, whose recent constitutional amendment paved the way for his bid for a sixth term, is capitalizing on the historic rivalry between the politically dominant Isse clan in Djibouti and the Gadabursi clan in western Somaliland. According to this view, sensitivity around the book launch in cities shared by both groups in Somaliland is also linked to longstanding disputes over land and symbolic influence between the two clans.

However, Somaliland’s Minister of Information, Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali “Ayanle,” told the press on Thursday that the government had reversed its earlier decision and decided to officially allow the book-launch event to proceed in mid-month, after previously freezing all related preparations. This announcement, seen by protesters in Borama as dismissive of their reservations and concerns, coincided with renewed tension and the outbreak of the violent demonstrations the city witnessed that same night.

UNESCO had announced in December 2024 the official inscription of Xeer Isse on its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, following a joint initiative by researchers and local community representatives. The charter is described as a customary system nearly five centuries old, drafted by one hundred elders of the Isse clan, addressing dispute resolution, protection of vulnerable groups, women’s and children’s rights, and environmental stewardship.

UNESCO regards this customary system as a living model of “local legal culture” that contributes to civil peace and good governance through mechanisms for peaceful conflict resolution, regulation of social relations, and protection of natural resources in a region often associated with conflict and instability.

However, the climate of political and media celebration surrounding the international recognition, and the accompanying arrangements for events in socially mixed cities such as Zeila and Borama, revealed deep local sensitivities tied to identity and clan balance. Traditional and governmental authorities have sought to contain these tensions through dialogue and assurances to all communities. Yet last night’s events in Borama underscored that the path to de-escalation remains long, and that any step touching on clan symbols will require far more careful management to prevent the unrest from sliding into further deadly confrontations.