Rob

This is the Somali spirit. Undefeated!

The Blue Revolution: How Somalia’s Northeastern Regions Broke Free from Separatism At the end of 2022, separatist forces assassinated a prominent businessman in the northeastern region. This killing became the final spark for long-building public anger. Since 2007, the separatist administration had carried out systematic assassinations specifically in the regions of Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn, targeting community leaders, respected figures, and anyone who opposed their rule. The assassination triggered a youth-led protest movement. Instead of de-escalating the situation or engaging with the grievances of an outraged population, the separatist forces chose repression, violently cracking down on protesters. This response only intensified public anger, particularly among the youth, who demanded the removal of separatist forces from the region and their return to their areas in Hargeisa, Burao, and Berbera. What began as a youth-led protest movement, later known as the Blue Revolution, named after the Somali blue flag, quickly evolved into a broad popular revolt, as regional leaders, traditional elders, and clan chiefs joined the uprising and openly called for resistance against the separatist forces. A popular resistance then emerged across the northeastern regions and Puntland (Harti clans). The resistance received widespread moral, financial, and political support from Somalis everywhere, both inside the country and throughout the diaspora. The northeastern regions also carry a long and deeply rooted history of resistance against British colonial rule. Under the leadership of Sayyid Mohammed Abdullah Hassan and his Dervish Army, the region waged one of the longest and fiercest anti-colonial struggles in African history. This legacy of resistance shaped the political consciousness of the area and remains central to its identity, rooted in unity, sovereignty, and the rejection of imposed rule. The conflict lasted for eight months. During this period, separatist forces, who were receiving military assistance and training from the United Kingdom under the banner of “supporting Somalia” carried out heavy shelling of the city of Las Anod. Mosques, hospitals, schools, and civilian neighborhoods were repeatedly targeted. The struggle was not limited to the battlefield. A parallel battle unfolded in the media and public advocacy spaces. Supporters of Somali unity exposed these abuses wherever possible, organized protests around the world, and pressured governments and human rights organizations to document and speak out against the crimes committed in an effort to keep Las Anod under separatist control and impose their project by force. Social media activists were also among the unsung heroes of this struggle, playing a critical role in documenting events on the ground and amplifying the reality of what was happening in real time. On August 16, separatist shelling killed Jama Elmi Kadiye, a well-known veteran poet and respected nationalist figure who had consistently supported the resistance throughout the eight months of fighting. His death marked a turning point. Shortly afterward, resistance forces resolved to seize the military base from which the city was being shelled. On August 25, 2023, roughly a week after the poet’s killing, unionist forces stormed the base and captured all separatist troops stationed there. With that, the war came to an end. Displaced residents began returning to their homes, and a process of rebuilding and political organization began. This journey culminated in April 2025, when the region was officially recognized as a federal member state. 🧵⤵️