Badawi

The Borama Incident: Separating Facts from Propaganda and Demanding Accountability 1. On 29 October 2026, social media reported attacks targeting Oromos in Borama, with images and videos showing houses on fire. The incident was reportedly linked to the on-going war on the Moyale and Hudet woredas (districts) in the Ethiopia's Somali region, involving heavily armed forces from Ethiopia's Oromo region. 2. On the same day, some groups from Somali and Oromo communities exploited the incident for propaganda purposes, spreading disinformation and unverified claims before community elders and local authorities issued their statement on the incident. 3. On 30 October 2026, the Awdal Security Committee and Borama Administration issued a statement saying that no one had been killed or injured, and the damage was limited to homes that they [Oromos] had left or moved out of. They apologized, describing such actions as contrary to the culture and values of the people of Borama. 4. On 30 October 2026, @MPDrAbib shared a video on X, stating that "I cannot demand justice for our people while remaining silent when innocent Oromo neighbours face the burning of their homes and looting of their belongings in Borama.". However, he provided no figures on the number of homes burned or people (number of Oromos) affected. Furthermore, the video reportedly showed internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somalia, not refugees, raising questions about its accuracy, context, and relevance to the claims being made. IDPs and refugees are distinct categories. Oromo who have fled to Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, or any other country are refugees, not internally displaced persons (IDPs), as they have crossed an international border. 5. Three days after the incident, these groups had yet to provide creditable evidence supporting their claims or challenging the statement issues by the Awdal Security Committee and Borama Administration. 6. Taking these facts into consideration, there are concerns that these groups and those behind the attacks may be exploiting ethnic tensions for political and economic gain, potentially operating from outside Awdal region of Somalia, to create ethnic conflict between Somali and Oromo communities, destabilize the wider Horn of Africa, and turn ethnic divisions into a source of profit. Therefore, independent and transparent investigations and accountability for attacks targeting ethnic communities and civilians in Moyale and Hudet (Somali region, Ethiopia), Arsi/Bale and Wellega (Oromo region, Ethiopia), and Awdal (Somalia) are urgently needed. These attacks must stop. Disinformation, biased reports by states, @UN agencies (including @UNHCR_Kenya @OCHA_Ethiopia ), and media outlets must end. @UN_SPExperts @UNOCHA_ROSEA @unhcrafr @AmnestyUK @ChathamHouse @kenyaaxis @AmnestyEARO @dervishconan @foziaaosman @Gafdiid7 @ManderaBlogger @DirreOnline @AbdimalekFarah @BestSeller2026 @AbdiAbdinur @Abdirik @faisalroble19 @BillowKerrow @Salim8Said @EIshmael_ @AbdikerM @AbdullahiDerow @KAGAMEAL @FartaagConsult @ida_sawyer @DRovera @AhmedSolHoA @AhmedAbdiIsse1 @KaramaraTv @SpotonSomalia @ay_has @hassanabdirahm8 @Hassa23851483 @awduula @awale_saad @DSultantv26 @AminaMaandeeq @HalimaAIGutale

Fact-Check: Contradicted Figures on Moyale's Population and Reported Displacement: 1. On 22 October 2026, heavily armed forces from Ethiopia's Oromo region reportedly attacked Moyale and Hudet woredas (districts) in Dawa zone, Somali region. The attacks displaced thousands of people from both Somali and Oromo communities, forcing them to flee to other parts of Dawa zone (Somali region) and neighbouring Kenya. 2. UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency), UN Relief Agency (UNOCHA), Kenyan authorities, and Oromo politicians in Kenya and Ethiopia reported that between 40,000 and 50,000 people fled from Moyale (Oromo) into Kenya. However, Ethiopia's Central Statistical Agency (CSA) projected Moyale Oromo's population at just 15,181 in 2026. This apparent discrepancy raises questions about the geographical origin of the displaced people and the accuracy and of the reported figures. 3. If both figures refer to the same geographical area and comparable populations, they are incompatible. Therefore, at least one figure or the geographical attribution is incorrect or misleading, and required verification. Displacement and humanitarian assistance should never be politicised under any circumstances. @UNHCR_Kenya @Refugees @UKinEthiopia @UKinKenya @UNOCHA @UNReliefChief @RefugeesAfrica @DRovera @AbdikerM @AbdiAbdinur @AhmedAbdiIsse1 @dervishconan @EIshmael_ @SpotonSomalia @BillowKerrow @AbdiwahabSheik7 @BestSeller2026 @DirreOnline @Salim8Said @BashirHashiysf @HanyIbrahim17 @Abdirik @faisalroble19 @hassanabdirahm8 @Hassa23851483 @amggebre @NeaminZeleke @foziaaosman @fouwzi @Gafdiid7 @awale_saad @ntvkenya @citizentvkenya @Eastleighvoice @Kenyans @PeopleDailyKe @KahawaTungu @kenyaaxis