Bombardment of Burao and Hargeisa 1988

Bombing of Hargeisa and Burao (1988)
Part of the Somaliland War of Independence
Hargeisa after the bombardment campaign
Date May–July 1988 Location Hargeisa and Burao, Somaliland (then Northern Somalia) Result Somali victory 90% of Hargeisa destroyed 70% of Burao destroyed Civilian population devastated
Belligerents
Somalia	SNM
Commanders and leaders
Mohamed Siad Barre Mohamed Said Hersi Morgan	Siilaanyo Mohamed Farah Dalmar Yusuf † Ibrahim Degaweyne Mohamed Kahin Ahmed Muse Bihi
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Both cities devastated Almost all population either displaced or killed [citation needed]

The destruction of Hargeisa and Burao (Somali: duqayntii Hargeysa iyo Burco) occurred in 1988 during the Somaliland War of Independence. It was part of a counteroffensive launched by the Somali government under President Mohamed Siad Barre against the Somali National Movement (SNM), an opposition group active in northern Somalia (modern-day Somaliland). The campaign involved indiscriminate aerial bombardments and ground assaults on the cities of Hargeisa and Burao, resulting in large-scale destruction and civilian casualties.^[1] It is estimated that 90% of Hargeisa and 70% of Burao were destroyed, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians.^[2]