Sunday September 8, 2024
FILE - Garowe city center, Puntland, Somalia, featuring local security forces and residents around the iconic monument. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Garowe (HOL) — Puntland security forces have arrested several young men believed to be behind a series of attacks targeting members of the Ogaden clan in Garowe, reportedly sparked by videos shared on TikTok. The attacks, which have heightened tensions in the city, follow a recent incident in Nairobi where a group of youths assaulted a young man from Garowe and recorded the act.
The attacks in Garowe are thought to be retaliation for the Nairobi assault, with authorities suspecting the incidents are part of a broader effort to instigate a conflict between communities from Ethiopia's Somali region and Puntland. The security forces arrested several suspects, but a court session scheduled for today in the Nugaal region was postponed.
Many Ogaden clan members residing in Garowe have been affected by the violence, which authorities say was orchestrated through social media platforms, namely TikTok. Local elders and security officials held an emergency meeting, vowing to take strong action against anyone responsible for the unrest.