Somaliland Journalist Abdiqani Hussein Abokor Detained After Interview

On August 29, 2026, journalist Abdiqani Hussein Abokor, known as Baylood, was detained in Somaliland without charges. His arrest followed a recently published video interview with local poet Ismail Yusuf Abd, known as Jiheeye.

The interview, released on August 27, featured Ismail reciting a poem that warned Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi of curses if he did not intervene in the unlawful seizure of two plots of land belonging to Ismail. After the interview, Ismail was arrested by Hargeisa security forces on August 28. Abdiqani was subsequently detained after responding to a summons from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on August 29.