BORAMA, AWDAL — Tension in Borama eased sharply on Saturday after two days of unrest, as a forceful address by Awdal’s paramount chief, Ugaas Abdirashid Ugaas Rooble, restored a sense of order and reaffirmed Somaliland’s territorial red lines.

His message blended condolences with a blunt warning: peace would be preserved, but the region’s borders would not be surrendered “under any disguise.”

Opening with a tribute to those killed during the disturbances, the Ugaas urged an immediate return to stability and unity. But his remarks quickly turned to the source of the recent friction—the planned unveiling of the “Xeer Ise” book in Saylac, an event he described not as a cultural initiative but as a political maneuver aimed at territorial encroachment.

He praised President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro for halting the gathering before it took place, calling the decision a necessary step to prevent a manufactured crisis.

“The book Xeer Ise was an excuse,” he said. “Seeking land through culture will not happen. Taking a piece of our land will not happen.”

The statement crystallized the prevailing view among Awdal leaders that the Presidency’s intervention was protective, not prohibitive.

Local officials have since confirmed that stopping the event helped defuse broader tensions between the Gadabuursi and Ise communities, which had threatened to spill into a wider regional confrontation.

Yet the Ugaas’s speech carried a darker undercurrent. He warned that efforts to ignite conflict were being organized across the border in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, and called on the Gadabuursi people to prepare to defend their land if necessary. Without naming specific actors, his message made clear that the threat was external—and intentional.

To guide the region forward, the Ugaas outlined a three-part initiative: a national funeral for the young people killed in the unrest; the rapid formation of a broad-based Gadabuursi “national council” of clerics, thinkers, and lawmakers; and a mandate for that council to safeguard internal peace while defending Somaliland’s territorial integrity.

The gathering in Borama included key members of Somaliland’s Parliament from Awdal, among them MP Mohamed Abiib, who addressed the youth directly and urged restraint—an indication that national and regional authorities are moving in tandem to prevent further escalation.

Together, the Ugaas’s defiant stance and the President’s swift action send a clear signal: attempts to exploit local grievances for political land claims will be met with organized resistance and unified leadership.

For now, Borama is calm—but its message to those attempting to destabilize it is unmistakable.

Four Suspected Snipers Arrested in Borama as Deadly Unrest Deepens.

Somaliland security forces have detained four suspected snipers in Borama amid an intensifying investigation into a string of mysterious shootings that have unsettled the city and deepened public anxiety, WARYATV has learned.

Multiple independent sources in Borama confirmed that security units are actively hunting a network of armed men believed to be responsible for targeted killings in recent days.

Residents reported seeing individuals positioned on rooftops and tall buildings overlooking the city’s central district, including structures adjacent to Borama Hospital.

Images circulating widely on social media show figures perched on high-rise buildings with what appear to be long-range rifles.

Eyewitnesses who spoke to WARYATV described the men as “highly trained” and “deliberately positioned.”

Security sources say at least ten suspected snipers are being pursued.

The threat became more pronounced Friday, when three people were fatally shot near Borama Hospital.

According to witnesses, the bullets were “silent,” suggesting the use of suppressors — an unusual escalation in a city unaccustomed to such tactics. The origin of the fire has not yet been publicly determined.

One Borama resident, Fardus Ahmed Hassan, posted on social media shortly after the shooting, pointing to a tall building near the hospital as the likely firing point.

A member of the Somaliland security forces, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, told WARYATV that the four men currently in custody are not residents of Somaliland. He declined to provide further details, citing an active investigation.

Security personnel say the arrest operation remains ongoing, with additional suspects believed to be operating inside Borama’s urban center.

Authorities are now examining whether the sniper attacks are tied to external actors seeking to inflame the unrest that has rocked Awdal in recent days.

As of Saturday, the Somaliland government has not issued any official statement regarding the arrests or the broader investigation.

Sources: Somaliland Minister Resigned Before Planned Removal in President Irro’s Reshuffle.

Somaliland’s Minister of Information, Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayanle, announced his resignation on Saturday evening, a sudden move that comes at a moment of heightened national tension and just weeks before a major cabinet reshuffle expected from President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro.

Speaking to local media, the outgoing minister said the decision was mutual and conducted respectfully. “I thank the President of Somaliland for the position he appointed me. Today I went to him, we forgave one another, and he accepted my resignation,” he stated.

In an emotional appeal to his community, Ahmed Yasin urged restraint following the deadly unrest in Awdal. “Oh my tribe, I do not advise you to fight or spill blood. Do not open fire on both sides,” he said, signaling concern that the regional crisis may escalate without responsible leadership.

But independent reporting obtained by WARYATV suggests a deeper political undercurrent behind the resignation. According to sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Ahmed Yasin was informed that he would be among several ministers removed in the President’s upcoming reshuffle.

Faced with dismissal, he reportedly chose to step down early—leveraging the Awdal situation as a political shield while seeking to exit on his own terms.

The minister’s tenure has been widely criticized inside government circles and among the public. Despite leading the ministry for a full year, he consistently struggled to manage or influence the fast-moving Somaliland media landscape, which independent analysts say has become a major driver of social unrest, factionalism, and misinformation.

Officials familiar with the ministry’s internal operations describe a leadership deficit: Ahmed Yasin lacked media expertise, strategic communication skills, and the ability to build a coherent national narrative. As a result, the government spent much of the past year reacting to online crises rather than shaping public discourse.

Some senior advisers argue that this vacuum contributed directly to the escalation of recent tensions—including those in Awdal.

The administration was also forced to dedicate substantial resources to combating online incitement, a burden compounded by the minister’s inability to establish regulatory clarity or modern communication strategies.

President Irro, aware of mounting frustration, had already included Ahmed Yasin on his list of ministries to be reshuffled. The resignation preempted his formal removal but does not change the political calculus: the Information Ministry is expected to undergo significant restructuring to restore narrative control, public trust, and national stability.

WARYATV attempted to contact the former minister for clarification regarding the circumstances of his departure but was unable to reach him.

Inside the Doha Deal: How Mogadishu Turned Awdal Instability Into Diplomatic Ammo.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s sudden trip to Doha — timed precisely at the height of the Borama unrest — was not a diplomatic coincidence.

It was a targeted geopolitical maneuver, designed to exploit Somaliland’s moment of instability and reinforce Mogadishu’s long-term strategy: to block, delay, and ultimately dismantle Somaliland’s path to recognition.

The choreography of the visit, the messaging, and the regional alignments reveal a multi-layered mission calibrated to use the Awdal crisis as political ammunition.

The most telling indicator is timing. The visit came during the peak of the security breakdown in Borama, when the confusion surrounding the Xeer Iise exhibition had escalated into deadly protests.

For Mogadishu, the crisis provided a rare opportunity: a real-time illustration of Somaliland’s vulnerability, precisely the kind of instability it has long argued invalidates Hargeisa’s claim to sovereign capacity.

Although neither side publicly mentioned Borama, the official phrase “the situation in the region” offered ample diplomatic cover. In diplomacy, silence can speak louder than specificity.

Inside the meeting, President Mohamud had a clear strategic narrative to deliver: Somaliland’s famed stability — the foundation of every recognition argument — had cracked.

By briefing Emir Tamim on the unrest, Mohamud positioned himself as the guardian of regional order and framed Somaliland as a fragile, unreliable entity whose internal governance cannot sustain peace.

It is a narrative Qatar has historically accepted, and Mogadishu capitalized on the moment to reinforce it.

Securing financial support was not separate from this agenda; it was strengthened by it.

Qatar is one of Mogadishu’s most critical economic patrons, underwriting development budgets, political initiatives, and the broader state-building effort.

In moments of instability, donors listen more attentively. The Emir’s promise of continued support fits a long-standing pattern: Doha finances, Mogadishu consolidates, and Somaliland is squeezed out of regional diplomatic space.

This financial pillar is intertwined with a second, more muscular dimension: Turkey’s expanding security footprint in Somalia. Qatar and Turkey rarely act in isolation.

Their partnership has become an axis of influence in the Horn, enabling Mogadishu to train thousands of troops, expand military capacity, and elevate its external posture.

Shay Gal’s warning regarding Turkey’s use of Somalia as a testing ground for advanced missile systems underscores the broader reality: the Somali government is being armed, trained, and politically shielded by a coalition of states that view Somaliland as an unacceptable precedent.

Within that strategic ecosystem, the Borama crisis was a golden opportunity. President Mohamud arrived in Doha not merely to seek money or discuss development; he came to frame the unrest as proof that Somaliland’s recognition bid is premature, destabilizing, and dangerous.

He also came to ensure that Qatar — with its influence in the Arab League and among Western partners — maintains a unified diplomatic line: no recognition, no deviation, no ambiguity.

By the time President Irro cancelled the Xeer Iise event in a bid to defuse the crisis, Mogadishu had already spent its political capital in Doha.

The mission had achieved its purpose: reinforcing Somalia’s narrative at a critical juncture and tightening the regional consensus against Somaliland’s aspirations.

In essence, Hassan Sheikh’s visit was not reactive diplomacy; it was a synchronized strike.

It leveraged internal turmoil in Somaliland to secure external backing for Mogadishu, reinforced strategic alliances with Qatar and Turkey, and weaponized the Awdal crisis in the international narrative war.

For Somaliland, it is a stark reminder that internal instability is never contained — it becomes foreign policy ammunition for adversaries who are prepared to act the moment the cracks appear.

CRISIS AVERTED: Somaliland Crisis De-escalates as President Irro Prioritizes Peace Over Politics.

President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro’s abrupt cancellation of the Xeer Ise event marks one of the most consequential decisions of his presidency—an intervention that shifts Somaliland away from an accelerating internal crisis and back toward strategic stability.

His declaration that he acted “for the interests of my nation,” in response to “the feelings of our people,” and because “the lives of my people are more important than anything else,” reframes the government’s posture from defensive confusion to controlled, deliberate leadership.

This move directly cuts off the internal pressure point that external actors were rapidly exploiting. In the past 48 hours, Borama and the wider Awdal region had become fertile ground for destabilization, amplified by Mogadishu’s diplomatic allies and regional backers.

What began as a dispute over a cultural exhibition was on the verge of becoming a politically engineered fracture point.

By cancelling the event outright, Irro has removed the catalyst that external forces were using to challenge Somaliland’s cohesion at a moment when its recognition campaign is most vulnerable.

The decision signals executive maturity, not retreat. Somaliland’s political identity and diplomatic leverage have always rested on stability—its only uncontested national export.

Irro’s pivot recognizes that without domestic calm, there is no viable foreign policy, no recognition pathway, and no moral authority in the Horn of Africa’s increasingly crowded geopolitical arena.

Now the burden shifts to implementation. The President’s order for security forces to strengthen protections and prevent further loss of life must translate into immediate, disciplined action.

Communities in Awdal and Salel need visible reassurance that the state is prioritizing de-escalation, not confrontation.

Traditional leaders calling for peace must be empowered, not sidelined, so that reconciliation can move from televised statements to genuine community restoration.

If executed swiftly and coherently, Irro’s decision could become a turning point. It denies Mogadishu and its regional partners the internal instability they needed to challenge Somaliland’s international credibility.

It re-centers the narrative around responsible leadership at a moment when global observers are watching closely. And it reiterates a message foundational to the Somaliland project: peace is not merely a political choice, but a national doctrine.

The cancellation is not the end of the crisis, but it is the most decisive step yet toward containing it. Somaliland’s next 72 hours will determine whether Irro’s strategic pivot becomes a diplomatic victory.

President Irro Addresses Borama Crisis, Vows Justice for Victims

Borama: Police Call for Calm After Fatal Protests Over Xeer Ciise Event

Two Killed, Eleven Injured in Borama Clashes Over Xeer Ise Decision

Somaliland Interior Ministry Halts Xeer Ise Event in Zeylac

Xeer Ciise earns UNESCO Heritage status: A victory for Somali-Issa cultural legacy

Somaliland Announces Investigation, Pulls Armed Forces Back Following Borama Violence.

Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro) delivered a grave and measured statement on Friday following the deadly unrest in Borama, offering condolences to the families of those killed and outlining immediate steps to restore calm in the region.

“In this solemn hour, I extend my deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones, and pray for the swift recovery of all those injured,” President Irro said, describing the moment as one that demands unity and restraint from all sides.

“The State stands with you — in grief, in healing, and in unwavering solidarity.”

Addressing public outrage over the fatal clashes between security forces and protesters, the president announced that he had ordered the National Armed Forces stationed in Borama to return immediately to their barracks.

He said this decision was intended to reduce tensions and “ensure that the situation does not escalate further.”

President Irro also confirmed the launch of a “comprehensive and independent investigation” into the events that triggered the unrest, promising that its findings will be handled with “the full rigor of the law” and guided by “transparency, justice, and accountability.”

“There is no duty more sacred than safeguarding our people, and no value higher than the sanctity of their blood,” he said. “It must never be shed.”

The remarks mark the administration’s strongest effort so far to address the crisis, which has strained public confidence and ignited calls for clearer communication between local leaders, the central government, and affected communities.

Tensions in Borama remained high Friday as residents demanded accountability over the deaths and clarity from authorities on the sequence of events surrounding the protest.

President Irro’s directive to withdraw military units is expected to be closely watched as both a test of the government’s control of the situation and a measure of its commitment to preventing further violence.