Somaliland’s government has welcomed statements by Israel and the United States at the United Nations Security Council acknowledging the 1988 atrocities committed against its people, while sharply condemning what it described as genocide denial by Somalia’s representative.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Somaliland authorities said the remarks by the two countries marked a significant moment of international recognition for victims of the late-1980s violence carried out under the regime of former Somali leader Siad Barre. The campaign, which targeted civilians in the north-western regions now administered by Somaliland, resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the destruction of major cities including Hargeisa and Burao.
The government said Israel and the U.S. had “affirmed historical truth” by recognizing the scale and intent of the 1988 violence, which Somaliland and several international human rights groups classify as genocide. It contrasted this with comments made by Somalia’s envoy to the UN, which it accused of downplaying or denying the atrocities.
“Genocide denial is not only an insult to survivors and victims, but a dangerous rewriting of history,” the Somaliland government said, adding that acknowledgment is essential for justice, reconciliation and long-term regional stability.
Somalia’s federal government has long rejected Somaliland’s claim to statehood and disputes characterizations of the 1988 events as genocide, describing them instead as part of a broader civil conflict. The issue remains one of the most sensitive fault lines between Mogadishu and Hargeisa.
The renewed diplomatic tension comes amid broader geopolitical shifts in the Horn of Africa, where international actors have shown increasing interest in Somaliland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden. While Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has operated as a self-governing entity for more than three decades, it remains unrecognized as a sovereign state by the United Nations.
Analysts say public recognition of the 1988 atrocities by major powers could strengthen Somaliland’s long-running campaign for international legitimacy, while further straining already fragile relations with Somalia.
Human rights advocates have repeatedly called for formal international recognition of the crimes committed during the late 1980s, arguing that accountability has been absent for decades. For survivors, recent statements at the UN are seen as symbolic but meaningful steps toward global acknowledgment of their suffering.
