One person was killed and another injured in a protest in Sheikh district of Somaliland’s Saaxil region today, residents and witnesses said.
The protest was sparked by the recent arrest of Sultan Qabile in Mandera district of Saaxil region. An angry crowd gathered in the town, where clashes broke out between security forces and protesters.
Residents identified the woman who died as Canab Omar Jama, while another person was injured in the violence that accompanied the protest.
One of the protesters accused security forces of using live ammunition, saying the protesters were targeted during the demonstration.
Lawyer Guleed Dafac, who campaigns for police reform, called for an independent investigation into the incident, saying that by law the power used by police should be proportionate to the level of threat they face.
The Somaliland government has not yet commented on the incident in Sheikh district and the allegations against the security forces. The medical condition of the person injured in the violence is also unknown.
Sheikh’s incident has reignited debate over the way Somaliland’s police force deals with protests. In recent times, the police have faced allegations of using excessive force during protests and public gatherings.
In 2025, at least 19 people died in protests in the town of Borama, while in 2023 at least seven people died in protests organized by opposition parties. These incidents have drawn criticism from civil society organizations and human rights advocates, who have called for reforms in the way protests are handled.
The current government promised during the campaign and when it took office to strengthen protection of civil rights and reduce the use of force in dealing with protests. However, repeated incidents of death and injury raise questions about the extent to which these commitments have been implemented and whether there has been a significant change in the behavior of the security forces.
