Somaliland security forces arrest four suspected snipers in Borama as officials accuse Somalia of orchestrating a destabilization campaign. Inside the political crisis, government resignations, community unrest, and growing regional geopolitical tensions
BORAMA, Somaliland — The normally quiet streets of Borama remained tense this week after Somaliland security forces announced the arrest of four suspected snipers accused of targeting civilians from rooftops—an episode that has widened an already-volatile political crisis and prompted the strongest denunciation yet from Somaliland against neighboring Somalia.
According to Somaliland security officials, the four detained men were apprehended late Saturday after residents reported gunfire near Borama Hospital. Multiple witnesses told reporters that individuals “appeared on rooftops” with long-range rifles. The government has not released the identities of the suspects, but a security officer speaking on condition of anonymity said the men were “not residents of Somaliland,” citing an investigation still underway.
Authorities say at least ten additional suspects remain at large.
“These attacks were precise, coordinated, and intended to cause fear,” the officer said. “We believe there are more individuals still operating inside Borama.”
While the Somaliland government has yet to issue a formal statement on the arrests themselves, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a sweeping condemnation Saturday, accusing Somalia of “deliberate and coordinated” interference aimed at destabilizing the Awdal region.
The ministry called the events in Borama “a serious breach of international norms”, asserting that Mogadishu was attempting to “inflame tensions, fuel misinformation, and widen divisions” inside Somaliland.
A Spike in Violence, a City in Shock
The week’s unrest escalated rapidly. Residents say the shootings began as protests intensified over a government-authorized cultural event in Zeila celebrating Xeer Ciise, the traditional legal code of the Issa clan. What initially appeared to be a localized dispute over cultural representation quickly spiraled into broader political confrontation.
Local eyewitnesses reported “silent bullets,” which security sources said may indicate the use of suppressors—an unusual detail in Somaliland, where such weapons are uncommon. One resident, Fardus A. H., wrote on social media that fire came from a tall building overlooking the hospital.
“People were running in every direction. The shots seemed to come from above — no sound until the bodies fell,” she wrote.
By Saturday morning, calm had partly returned, but the mood in the city remained brittle.
Government Blames ‘External Interference’
Somaliland officials framed the violence not as internal dissent but as an externally engineered plot.
In its statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued:
“No external actor — whether through political incitement, coordinated propaganda, or direct encouragement of disorder — will succeed in destabilizing the peace and social harmony that the people of Somaliland have preserved for decades.”
The ministry urged regional partners and international organizations to “reject Somalia’s destabilizing behavior.”
The rhetoric marks one of the sharpest public escalations between Somaliland and Somalia in recent years, arriving at a time when the Horn of Africa’s broader geopolitical tensions—Ethiopia’s Red Sea ambitions, Turkey’s military footprint in Mogadishu, and Qatar’s growing regional influence—have already complicated Somaliland’s quest for statehood.
Allegations of Foreign-Trained Operatives
Commentators online amplified a narrative that foreign-trained forces may be behind the sniper attacks. Political analyst Yusuf Abdi Gabobe claimed in a widely circulated post that a force of “500 Turkish-trained DANAB commandos” was being prepared in Mogadishu for deployment into Somaliland via Ethiopia.
These claims remain unverified, but they have gained traction in Somaliland’s political discourse, particularly as residents search for answers regarding the attacks’ sophistication.
In another comment, regional analyst Rashid Abdi, Research Director at Sahan Research, said Somaliland faces hostile external actors determined to undermine its stability.
“Somaliland’s enemies are ruthless in their determination to undermine its legitimate quest for international recognition,” he wrote. “The window for recognition exists, but it is narrowing.”
Leadership Strains: Minister of Information Resigns
Amid the turmoil, Information Minister Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali resigned Saturday evening, only two days after publicly confirming that the Xeer Ciise commemoration would proceed on December 14.
“I thank the President for the trust he placed in me,” he said, adding that the resignation was mutual. “Oh my tribe, I do not advise you to fight or spill blood… Do not open fire.”
His exit has fueled speculation that the government faces internal fractures over its handling of the Borama crisis and broader questions about clan tensions in Awdal.
Parliament has since suspended the Xeer Ciise book launch, calling it a “direct trigger” for recent unrest and instructing the government to restore security, halt demonstrations, and facilitate emergency humanitarian aid for those injured.
Former Presidents Step In
From the United Arab Emirates, former presidents Dahir Riyale Kahin and Muse Bihi Abdi issued a rare joint statement urging calm and urging residents of Awdal to end the violence.
Riyale appealed directly to local youth:
“I ask the young people of Awdal to stop the unrest and listen to your elders and wise leaders.”
Bihi added:
“Today is not a time for ceremonies or celebrations. A more serious issue has emerged and must be addressed first.”
Their intervention, according to local elders, helped ease tensions as peace delegations began arriving in Borama.
President Irro Calls for Calm, Halts Controversial Event
Facing mounting public pressure, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi “Irro” suspended the Xeer Ciise commemoration and ordered military forces in Borama back to their barracks.
“There is no duty more sacred than safeguarding our people, and no value higher than the sanctity of their blood,” he said in a televised address.
“It must never be shed.”
Irro expressed condolences to the families of those killed and promised a full, independent inquiry into the Borama shootings.
Geopolitics at the Forefront
Political analysts point out that the Borama crisis cannot be viewed in isolation. Somaliland is still managing the diplomatic fallout from its 2024 port-access agreement with Ethiopia—an accord Somalia fiercely opposed and which drew sharp reactions from Arab League members, Turkey, and Eritrea.
For Hargeisa, the timing of the Borama unrest raises fears of a broader geopolitical push to destabilize the region.
Somaliland officials claim adversaries are attempting to reverse recent gains in its international recognition campaign. Though several countries have privately engaged Hargeisa over the past two years, no state has formally recognized Somaliland since 1991.
What Comes Next for Borama and Somaliland?
As investigations continue, Borama is balancing between two paths: renewed calm or a deeper slide into mistrust and confrontation.
Elders say the city is gradually stabilizing. Civil society groups are counseling restraint. Security forces are patrolling less aggressively than early in the week.
But the underlying tensions—clan grievances, political miscommunication, rival regional interests—have not disappeared.
For Somaliland’s government, the crisis represents a critical test of its ability to maintain internal stability while asserting its case for global recognition.
For Borama, the hope is simpler: that the shooting stops, the truth emerges, and peace—its most prized local asset—returns.
