The ancient port city of Zeila (Saylac), long a symbol of Awdal’s history and identity, became the epicentre of a violent political and social rupture the last couple of months. What began in November as preparations for the launch of the “Xeer Ciise” book rapidly escalated into one of the deadliest internal crises the breakaway region of Somaliland has faced since the Las Anod uprising, exposing deep fractures over history, sovereignty, and political trust.
For many in Awdal, Zeila is more than a historic coastal town. It is viewed as a reflection of collective memory and territorial heritage. The proposed event was therefore interpreted not as a harmless cultural gathering, but as a politically charged attempt to reshape the historical narrative of the region. The backlash was immediate. Demonstrations spread rapidly across Zeila and Borama, transforming local grievances into a broader regional uprising.
Djibouti’s Shadow and Awdal’s Rejection
Central to the unrest was the belief that the Xeer Ciise initiative was not an isolated cultural endeavour but part of a broader external agenda. In Awdal, accusations of “Djibouti’s hidden hand” spread quickly. Many locals viewed the event as linked to territorial ambition and an expansion of influence by the neighbouring state, particularly given Zeila’s strategic and symbolic importance.
This perception fuelled a surge of regional nationalism and sharpened criticism of the Hargeisa administration, which was accused of allowing a politically explosive project to proceed without adequate consultation or safeguards. For residents, the question was simple but damning: how could a supposedly cultural event threaten public order so profoundly unless deeper political motives were at play?
Djibouti’s government, led by President Ismail Omar Guelleh, firmly rejected the accusations, issuing a press release denying any interference and reiterating respect for borders and neighbourly relations. Yet skepticism in Awdal persisted. The scale of the violence, many argued, could not be explained by cultural disagreement alone.
The Dark Week: December 5–7, 2025
The crisis descended into tragedy between December 5th and 7th, when security forces moved to crush protests in Zeila and Borama. What followed were scenes of chaos and terror—live ammunition unleashed against largely unarmed youth, turning demonstrations into deadly confrontations.
The human cost was immediate and devastating. Nineteen young people were shot dead, among them young activists such as Said Hassan Mohamed Shire, Abdirahman Mixile, and Mustafe Ali—names that quickly became symbols of a generation’s anger and loss. In the days that followed, disturbing footage spread rapidly, appearing to show security forces firing directly at fleeing protesters.
At least 214 people were wounded, with at least 20 left in critical condition. Hospitals struggled to cope as the injured poured in, forcing authorities to airlift seven of the most severely wounded to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in a desperate bid to save their lives.
The aftermath left a region in shock. Images of bloodshed and grief circulated widely, reopening old wounds and hardening a growing sense of betrayal. For many in Awdal, those days were not just a moment of violence—they were a breaking point that deepened mistrust and reshaped the relationship between the people and the state.
Historical Grievances and the Weight of Memory
According to analysis published by Kormeeraha Magazine, the unrest in Zeila cannot be separated from the historical grievances that continue to shape Awdal’s political consciousness. Central among them is the memory of the 1991 Borama Massacre, an event that remains deeply embedded in the region’s collective memory and continues to influence perceptions of state power and political exclusion.
The magazine has also documented what many residents describe as years of marginalization, uneven political representation, and the suppression of youth activism. These experiences have fueled a growing feeling among many in Awdal that they exist as “second-class citizens” within the Somaliland framework. The Xeer Ciise controversy therefore did not emerge in isolation; it collided with decades of unresolved
Traditional Elders: Stability Before Collapse
In the immediate aftermath of the violence, traditional elders in Awdal emerged as central figures in preventing the crisis from spiraling further. Led by prominent leaders such as Sultan Dhawal, they sought to balance public demands for justice with the urgent need to preserve stability across the region. As tensions peaked, the elders moved quickly to restore calm and prevent the possibility of wider communal conflict.
One of their first major interventions was the temporary removal of military and security forces from Borama. The elders argued that the visible presence of heavily armed units was inflaming public anger and increasing the risk of further bloodshed. After several days of mediation and negotiations, they announced on December 10 that security responsibilities had been formally handed back to the police once the immediate threat of violence had subsided.
At the same time, traditional leaders openly rejected the proposed Xeer Ciise ceremony in Zeila, viewing it not as a harmless cultural gathering but as a politically charged event tied to external influence. Many elders accused actors linked to Djibouti of fueling territorial narratives that threatened the historical identity of Awdal. They called for Gadabuursi unity and warned against allowing outside agendas to deepen divisions within the region.
Although the government later provided magdhow (blood compensation) and xaal-marin to the families of the 19 victims, many elders and intellectuals remained deeply skeptical of the approach. They argued that financial settlements alone could never resolve decades of mistrust, marginalization, and political exclusion. For many residents, the payments were seen as an attempt to calm public anger without addressing the deeper causes of the unrest.
Hargeisa Under Fire
The Somaliland government’s handling of the crisis drew criticism both locally and internationally. Human rights organizations condemned the use of excessive force against civilians, arguing that the state’s response deepened rather than resolved the political crisis.
Although the government later issued apologies and provided compensation to victims’ families, the damage to public trust had already become profound. Critics argued that the authorities relied on financial settlements as a substitute for accountability, while avoiding transparent investigations into the conduct of security forces.
The events in Zeila also exposed broader weaknesses within Somaliland’s political structure. By failing to contain the controversy internally, the government inadvertently created space for external actors to exploit local grievances, further complicating questions of sovereignty and national cohesion.
The Rise of Fragmentation and “Awdal State” Sentiment
Perhaps the most significant consequence of the crisis has been the rapid erosion of confidence in the existing political order. Across Awdal, discussions once confined to small political circles—particularly the idea of an autonomous “Awdal State”—have entered mainstream debate.
For many young people, the crackdown reinforced the belief that their rights and freedoms depend less on constitutional guarantees and more on the political mood of the moment. This perception has accelerated feelings of alienation from Hargeisa and strengthened demands for greater regional self-determination.
At the same time, the unrest exposed how unresolved historical grievances can quickly evolve into wider questions about legitimacy, representation, and belonging. What began as opposition to a cultural event gradually transformed into a broader political reckoning over who controls the historical and territorial narrative of Awdal.
Zeila Today: Fragile Calm, Deep Fault Lines
Zeila remains under a tense and fragile calm, with security forces maintaining a heavy presence across the town and surrounding areas. Although large-scale clashes have subsided, the atmosphere remains deeply unsettled, with many residents fearing that the underlying tensions have merely been contained rather than resolved.
Under mounting pressure from traditional elders and community leaders, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi “Irro” eventually cancelled the Xeer Ciise book launch that had originally been scheduled for December 14, 2025. The decision helped prevent an immediate return to violence, but it did little to erase the bitterness left behind by the crackdown and the deaths that followed.
Meanwhile, Somaliland authorities intensified security operations near Zeila amid growing concerns over possible cross-border mobilization from Djibouti and Ethiopia’s Somali Region. Officials reported the elimination of militants near the coastal area, reinforcing fears that the unrest could evolve into a wider regional security challenge.
Despite the reduction in open confrontation, tensions between the Issa and Gadabuursi communities remain dangerously high. What began as a dispute over a cultural event has evolved into a broader struggle over historical ownership, symbolic recognition, and political authority in one of the Horn of Africa’s most historically significant port cities.
Across Awdal, many residents continue to view Djibouti’s intentions toward Zeila with deep suspicion. Community leaders have repeatedly warned that any future attempt to revive initiatives perceived as externally driven interference could rapidly reignite unrest.
A City at the Crossroads
Zeila now stands at a crossroads between reconciliation and fragmentation. The crisis revealed unresolved questions about power, identity, sovereignty, and political inclusion within Somaliland. Whether the city ultimately becomes a symbol of healing or a warning of deeper national fracture will depend on whether accountability, dialogue, and genuine political reform replace force as the primary response to dissent.
For many in Awdal, the message left behind by the bloodshed is painfully clear: stability imposed without trust cannot endure, and historical wounds ignored by the state rarely remain buried forever.