Somaliland police, supported by tribal militia, raided Hadayta and Eel sheekh villages to arrest traditional leaders and journalists linked to the defense minister who resigned in protest of the agreement between Abiye and Bihi signed on January 1, 2024. The deal gave Ethiopia access to the Gulf of Aden in exchange for recognizing Somaliland as independent state while it is in reality part and parcel of the Federal Republic of Somalia. This agreement allowed Ethiopia to build a naval base, a commercial port, and connecting roads to the sea, affecting mainly the Badarahan tribe of the Issa community residing in Hadayta and Eel Sheekh villages and suroundings including Lughaya town of the Awdal region. Awdal is the homeland of the Issa and Gadabursi communities.
The Badarahan tribe faces harsh treatment from authorities due to their opposition to the agreement and loyalty to the resigned minister. It seems to be a retaliatory measure aimed at collectively punishing the minister’s relatives for his alledged defiance against the president. The crackdown has led to arrests, torture, and warrants for individuals connected to the minister, including the owner of BC 24tv. also mistreated or tortured.
Members of the Issa community, along with prominent figures and traditional leaders, are shocked by the unfolding events, warning of consequences resulting from the government’s actions. They urge authorities to stop targeting unarmed civilians and seek peaceful solutions. “We, from our side, have no intention of harming any innocent civilians in retaliation” they declare, advocating for a peareful or diplomatic approach to resolving the situation. They call on the Somaliland president to listen to the voices of the Awdalites and all Somali people, rejecting the deal and proclaiming, “No inch of our land or sea is for sale.”