Liyuu Police accused of targeting Isaaq pastoralist communities in a brutal attack that threatens regional stability and Ethiopia-Somaliland relations.
The brutal attack in Da’awaley village, Ethiopia’s Somali region, has left over 114 dead and hundreds wounded, with survivors enduring unimaginable atrocities. The massacre, carried out by the Liyuu Police—a paramilitary force dominated by the Ogaden clan—has sent shockwaves across the region, threatening decades of cooperation between Ethiopia and Somaliland and exposing deep-seated ethnic and political tensions.
The victims, predominantly Arap Sheikh Isaaq pastoralists, were targeted in their homes, which were burned to the ground along with mosques. Survivors with severe gunshot wounds and burns have overwhelmed medical facilities in Jigjiga, the regional capital, and Hargeisa in Somaliland. The targeted community historically straddles the Ethiopia-Somaliland border, maintaining grazing patterns and familial ties that transcend national boundaries. This shared heritage has long been a foundation for stable relations between Ethiopia and Somaliland, now jeopardized by the massacre.
The Liyuu Police, described by critics as a tool for advancing Ogaden clan dominance under the leadership of Somali Region President Mustafe Omer, stand accused of extrajudicial killings, torture, and displacing civilian populations. This attack marks a grim escalation in their documented history of human rights abuses, with particular brutality against Arap Sheikh Isaaq communities.
Somaliland’s Minister of Internal Security, Abdalle Mohamed Arab, condemned the violence as a “gross violation of human rights” and led urgent talks with Ethiopian federal and regional officials. The resulting agreement reportedly includes federal troop deployments to the region and the reassignment of Liyuu Police forces. However, whether these measures will prevent future violence remains uncertain.
The fate of nearly 60 traditional elders from Somaliland, who had entered Ethiopia to mediate grazing disputes, remains shrouded in controversy. Their sudden public appearance in Jigjiga, following transportation by the same forces responsible for the massacre, raises concerns about their treatment and the authenticity of their involvement in reconciliation efforts.
Dr. Edna Adan Ismail, former Somaliland Foreign Minister and Special Envoy, has issued a passionate appeal to the international community. Describing the massacre as “an atrocity of unheard-of proportions,” she emphasized the destruction of lives and property, including mothers and children, and called for immediate humanitarian aid and accountability for the perpetrators.
Edna Adan highlighted the entrenched political monopoly in the Somali region that excludes Isaaq representation, allowing unchecked brutality by the Liyuu Police. Her call underscores the urgent need for global intervention to prevent further atrocities and stabilize the region.
The Da’awaley massacre has reignited longstanding ethnic and political tensions in Ethiopia’s Somali region. It highlights the fragility of regional governance and the dangers of unchecked paramilitary forces operating under the guise of state authority.
The incident also risks destabilizing Ethiopia-Somaliland relations, which have historically been rooted in mutual respect and cooperation. As the Ethiopian federal government grapples with growing ethnic unrest and the fallout from civil war in Tigray, addressing the violence in the Somali region becomes critical to preserving national unity.
The massacre in Da’awaley village is a harrowing reminder of the cost of unaddressed ethnic and political grievances. Urgent intervention is needed to protect vulnerable communities, hold perpetrators accountable, and restore stability in Ethiopia’s Somali region.
As survivors struggle to rebuild their lives and tensions simmer, the international community must respond decisively to prevent further bloodshed and uphold human rights in a region increasingly defined by violence and neglect.
