By HAN News Desk
BORAMA — Several people were injured on Tuesday night after protests erupted in the city of Borama, following the Somaliland administration’s decision to permit a previously suspended book launch to take place in the coastal town of Saylac.
Residents took to the streets shortly after news spread that authorities had reinstated approval for the public launch of the Xeer Ciise book — a publication detailing the customary laws of the Ciise community. The event had been halted days earlier amid rising local tensions.
Witnesses told HAN News that the demonstrations began spontaneously, with crowds gathering in multiple neighbourhoods to express anger over the government’s decision. Some residents argued that allowing the event to proceed risked escalating longstanding clan sensitivities in the wider Soolal region, where related communities live side by side.
According to eyewitness accounts, police dispersed protesters in several areas, leading to clashes that resulted in civilian injuries. The exact number of those wounded has not yet been confirmed by authorities.
Speaking to the press late on Tuesday, Somaliland Police Commissioner Major General Abdirahman Abdillahi Hassan said security forces had increased their presence throughout Borama to prevent further unrest. He urged residents to remain calm and avoid actions that could trigger additional violence.
“The idea that people could lose their lives or property could be damaged over a two-hour event taking place in Saylac is completely unacceptable,” he said, calling for restraint from all sides.
Tensions remain high in parts of the city, although the situation is reported to be largely under control following the deployment of additional security personnel.
