Government forces known as the Red Berets rounded up 47 Isaaq men at random in Mogadishu and transported them to Jazeera Beach, 20 miles south of the city.
[1][2] The massacre was widely condemned internationally, with analysts highlighting its role in escalating the Isaaq genocide and further fueling the Somaliland War of Independence.
Beginning in May 1988, this campaign escalated into systematic atrocities against Isaaq civilians, with methods including aerial bombardment, mass executions, and the destruction of cities such as Hargeisa and Burco.
[6] The Jazeera Beach Massacre occurred within this context of widespread violence and repression, serving as one of the most infamous examples of the Barre regime's atrocities.
It is also frequently cited as evidence of the genocidal policies of Siad Barre's government and has been instrumental in Somaliland's push for recognition as an independent state.