A strategic port town of Zeila becomes the focal point of expansionist allegations and geopolitical maneuvering
ZEILA, Somaliland — In the volatile Horn of Africa, where international shipping lanes meet ancient territorial disputes, a fresh controversy is emerging over allegations that Djibouti is attempting to annex the historic port town of Zeila from its unrecognized neighbor, Somaliland.
The strategic coastal territory, once a medieval capital of the Adal Sultanate that controlled trade routes between Africa and Arabia, has become the latest flashpoint in a region already grappling with ethnic tensions, great power competition, and unresolved border disputes.
A Historical Pattern of Expansionist Ambitions
The current tensions trace their roots to 1991, when Ismail Omar Guelleh, then head of Djibouti’s secret service and now the country’s long-serving president, orchestrated an incursion into Somaliland’s Awdal region during the Somaliland War of Independence.
The operation, backed by the United Somali Front (USF)—a militia predominantly composed of Issa clansmen from Djibouti—aimed to annex the so-called “Zeyla-Loyada-Garissa triangle.” The attempt was swiftly crushed by the Somali National Movement (SNM), but the episode left a lasting legacy of mistrust.
“Guelleh has long been accused of harboring expansionist designs,” said a regional analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic. “In the late 1980s, Issa clan elders in Djibouti reportedly discussed the annexation of Zeila and Lughaya as part of a broader vision for a ‘Greater Djibouti’ or ‘Issa-land,’ extending from the Red Sea to Dire Dawa”.
These ambitions were rooted in historical rivalries between the Issa and Isaaq clans, with the former alleging discrimination under Somaliland’s governance.
Recent Clashes and Allegations
Tensions between Somaliland and Djibouti have resurfaced recently following Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro’s visit to Djibouti, where President Guelleh reportedly proposed large-scale investments in Zeila and other western coastal areas of Somaliland. The discussions, described as “ambiguous” by observers, have raised concerns over Djibouti’s long-standing territorial ambitions in the region.
The situation turned violent in October 2025 when clashes erupted in Zeila between youths from the Issa and Gadabuursi clans after Issa youths announced they would hold a celebration to mark Xeer Ciise, the traditional customary law of the Issa clan that UNESCO recently recognized as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Issa elders immediately accused Somaliland’s Vice President, Mohamed Abdi Aw-Ali, of “allowing the youths into the town to cause unrest,” while clan elders in Awdal region blamed both Djibouti and Mogadishu for being “behind the unrest, claiming it was part of a wider plan by the Somali government in Mogadishu to undermine the unity of the Somaliland people”.
Economic Projects as Potential “Trojan Horses”
The latest flashpoint centers on the Nagad-Loyada/Lowyaddo-Zeila-Borama Road Upgrade Project—Phase I, funded by the African Development Bank under the Horn of Africa Initiative. Critics argue that the project, while framed as regional integration, could serve as a conduit for Djibouti to exert economic and demographic influence over Somaliland’s western territories.
- Economic Siphoning: The road’s upgrade is expected to funnel trade and resources toward Djibouti’s ports, reinforcing its dominance as a regional logistics hub.
- Demographic Shifts: Fears persist that Djibouti may exploit the project to populate Zeila with its nationals, altering the area’s ethnic composition.
“Somaliland’s leadership has yet to clarify its stance on Djibouti’s investment proposals,” a Western diplomat based in the region told The SaxafiMedia. “The lack of clarity has fueled speculation about backroom negotiations that could compromise Somaliland’s territorial integrity”.
Regional Implications and Strategic Calculations
The controversy over Zeila occurs against a backdrop of broader geopolitical maneuvering in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia, having lost its Red Sea access with Eritrea’s independence in 1991, has expressed interest in establishing a naval base in Zeila, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed discussing the idea with former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo in 2018.
“This isn’t just about Somaliland and Djibouti,” the diplomat added. “Zeila’s strategic location makes it a piece on the chessboard of regional power competition, with Ethiopia, Egypt, and Gulf states all having interests in who controls this coastline”.
The situation underscores the fragile geopolitics of the Horn of Africa, where infrastructure projects often double as instruments of soft power. Djibouti’s strategic interests—bolstered by its ports and alliances with global powers—clash with Somaliland’s quest for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Historical Significance of the Flashpoint
Zeila is no ordinary border town. Founded approximately 2,000 years ago, it was identified by the 1st-century Greco-Roman travelogue the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea as the trade post of Avalites.
The town later evolved into an early Islamic center with the arrival of Muslims shortly after the Hijrah. By the 9th century, Zeila was the capital of the early Adal Kingdom and Ifat Sultanate. In the 13th century, it would attain its height of prosperity a few centuries later.
The 14th-century Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta described Zeila as “a big metropolis city and many great markets filled with many wealthy merchants”.
Today, Zeila is inhabited by both Gadabuursi and Issa clans, who have coexisted in the area for centuries. The Issa clan regards Zeila as their traditional home, having historic ties to the town, and serving as the site where their Ughaz is coronated. It was also viewed as the seat of the Gadabursi Ughazate, where the French and British signed treaties with them.
Uncertain Future
As the Nagad-Loyada-Borama project progresses, Somaliland faces a delicate balancing act: leveraging regional cooperation while safeguarding its borders. Meanwhile, Guelleh’s overtures to Zeila signal that Djibouti’s ambitions in the region remain undiminished.
Historical precedent suggests that Somaliland will resist any perceived encroachment. In 1995, another USF-led attempt to detach the Awdal region was quashed by SNM forces after eight weeks of fighting.
For now, the question lingers: Is Djibouti’s interest in Zeila a genuine offer of investment, or a veiled bid for annexation? The answer may determine the future of Somaliland’s western frontier and stability in the Horn of Africa.
