Somaliland mosques told to turn down the volume

bbc

Mosques in the self-declared republic of Somaliland have been urged to turn down, or turn off, their loudspeakers for overnight prayers.

The director general of the ministry of religious affairs, Aadan Abdillahi Abdalle, told the BBC Somali service that imams and mosque authorities had been urged to respect their neighbours when they issued the call for the Tahajjud, a non-obligatory prayer which usually takes place after midnight.

People living near mosques have complained of disruption to their sleep from the loudspeakers - a particular concern for the elderly, and for those convalescing from illness.

However, others have argued for the mosques' right to broadcast the call to prayer, and have urged the government not to interfere in a religious matter.

The population of Somaliland is overwhelmingly Muslim. The territory has its own autonomous government but is not internationally recognised as independent.