President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro) stands with victims of the Ethiopian Somali Region attack, vowing solidarity and prayers for recovery.
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro) of Somaliland made an emotional visit to Hargeisa General Hospital, where survivors of the Da’awaley massacre in Ethiopia’s Somali region are receiving treatment. The attack, carried out by the Liyuu Police on December 25, targeted Arap Sheikh Isaaq pastoralist communities, leaving over 114 dead, hundreds wounded, and villages reduced to ash.
The massacre has struck at the heart of Ethiopia-Somaliland relations, threatening a fragile partnership built on decades of mutual cooperation. The victims, primarily pastoralists with deep historical ties to both sides of the border, were subjected to a brutal campaign that razed homes and mosques, forcing many to flee into Somaliland for refuge.
The Liyuu Police, a paramilitary force accused of advancing Ogaden clan interests under Somali Region President Mustafe Omer, stand at the center of this atrocity. Their record of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and displacement, has now escalated into a large-scale massacre that could destabilize the region further.
Somaliland’s president personally visited the injured, standing at their bedsides, offering prayers, and expressing his nation’s grief. “May God grant you strength and swift recovery,” he said, underscoring the government’s commitment to supporting survivors and seeking justice for the atrocities committed.
The massacre in Da’awaley has not only devastated lives but has also exposed the ethnic and political tensions simmering within Ethiopia’s Somali region. For Somaliland, which has prided itself on fostering stability and unity, the attack serves as a stark reminder of the challenges it faces as a neighbor to volatile regions.
As the victims recover from their wounds, Somaliland’s leadership must navigate a delicate path—standing in solidarity with its people, preserving diplomatic ties with Ethiopia, and advocating for accountability to ensure such horrors are never repeated. The visit by President Cirro symbolizes the nation’s resolve to support its people while seeking broader regional peace.
