ALTERED: Somaliland presidential candidate holding Somalia’s flag is doctored
The original photo shows Abdirahman Irro holding the Somaliland flag.
This post on X ( formerly Twitter) with an image purportedly claiming to show Somaliland presidential candidate Abdirahman Irro holding the Somali federal government’s flag is ALTERED.
The Somali text accompanying the image states, “Abdirahman Irro raised the Somalia flag. We say Somaliland people elect Irro to bring the blue flag in Hargeisa. Brothers, elect Irro.”
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but no country has recognized its sovereignty. Somaliland authorities do not allow Somalia’s blue flag to be displayed in it’s territory.
The Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) conducted a Google reverse image search and established that the photo has been on the internet since 18 May 2024.
18 May is the date Somaliland celebrates its unrecognized independence from Somalia.
Somaliland’s Waddani Party Presidential Candidate Abdirahman Irro posted the image on his official X account with a caption “This is our flag, this is our nation, GOD bless Somaliland.”
Similar image were shared here, and here.
The original image shows the candidate holding the flag of the self-declared Somaliland, contradicting the claim under investigation.
Somaliland is preparing to hold its presidential elections on 13 November 2024. Three political parties are expected to vie for the presidency for the next five years.
The Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) looked into a post on X ( formerly Twitter) with an image purportedly claiming to show Somaliland presidential candidate Abdirahman Irro holding the Somali federal government’s flag, and found it to be ALTERED.
This fact-check was produced by Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) under the African Fact-Checking Incubator programme, with support from PesaCheck, Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, and the African Fact-Checking Alliance(AFCA).
