Dharkayn Geenyo (Dharkayngeenyo, Darkeyn Genyo) is a town in the southern
Sool
Sool (, ) is a disputed administrative region (gobol). It borders Togdheer to the west, Sanaag to the north, Ethiopia to the south and Nugal, Bari to the east. Its capital city is Las Anod. The region is disputed by the self-declared Republic o ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
of
Somaliland
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an List of states with limited recognition, unrecognised country in the Horn of Africa. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, E ...
.
Overview
It is located on the Khaatuma State-
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
border. Dharkayn Geenyo is a historical town, it was an important border post during the
Siad Barre
Mohammed Siad Barre (, Osmanya script: , ''Muhammad Ziād Barīy''; 6 October 1919 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali military officer, politician, and revolutionary who served as the third president of Somalia from 21 October 1969 to 26 Janu ...
government period with one of the biggest Somali military bases. The town was the centre of clan skirmishes in 2016 and 2017.
Presently, the
SSC-Khaatumo administration holds control over Darkayn Geenyo and was recently visited by a delegation led by President
Abdikhadir Ahmed Aw-Ali
Abdikhadir Ahmed Aw-Ali (, born 1972), nicknamed Firdhiye, is a Somali politician who serves as the current president of ssc-Khatumo State of Somalia .
Biography
Firdhiye was born in Taleh in 1972. He received his primary and secondary educati ...
on December 16, 2023.
Demographics
The town is primarily settled by the
Dhulbahante
The Dhulbahante, (, ) are a Somali sub-clan, part of the Harti branch of the larger Darod clan. They primary reside in and around their traditional territories of Nugaal, as well as Doollo. The clan's progenitor is buried at Badweyn.
The cur ...
clan, with the
bahrarsame sub-clan being well represented. In 2020, the Garad of the Abdi Garad-Qayad clan, Garaad Mukhtaar Garaad Cali Buraale was crowned in the town by the Garaad of the Dhulbahante,
Garad Jama Garad Ali
Garad Jama Garad Ali () is the 21st supreme traditional clan Sultan ( Garaad) of the Dhulbahante. He has significant influence in Somalia's current politics, particularly in Ssc- Khatumo.
Biography Birth
Jama was born in 1974 as the son of Gara ...
.
Mayor
*Siciid Warsame Cabdi
History
In the 1920's this area was named Dharkayn.
[
In a book published in England in 1951, Dharkayn Geenyo is listed under the name Darkein Genyo.
In January 1982, an officer relative of President Barre was murdered in Dharkayn Geenyo.
In July 1999, Garad Ali Burale Xasan Gaba'aweyte was installed as the new Garad (chief) of the Qayaad clan] in Dharkayn Geenyo.
In October 2010, Qayaad chief Garad Ali Burale held a clan meeting in Dharkayn Geenyo to discuss the relationship with Somaliland
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an List of states with limited recognition, unrecognised country in the Horn of Africa. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, E ...
and other issues.[
In 2014, the clan conflict was rekindled in Dharkayn Geenyo, when the ]Khatumo State
SSC-Khaatumo (), officially known as the SSC-Khaatumo State of Somalia (), is a federal member state in northern Somalia, with its capital in Las Anod. It includes parts of the Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions (combined under the acronym "SSC") ...
's military killed a militia member of the Qayaad clan. The conflict is said to have been agitated by the diaspora
A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of birth, place of origin. The word is used in reference to people who identify with a specific geographic location, but currently resi ...
, which provided supplies and other support. It is also said that the intervention of the Puntland
Puntland is an autonomous state that considers itself to be part of Somalia, despite not accepting the legitimacy of Somalia's current governing administration. It was formed in 1998, and was a federal member state of Somalia from its fou ...
government, which tried to use the incident for political purposes, made the situation worse. In August 2015, a preliminary agreement was reached in settlement talks between the clans.
In April 2016, a clan struggle erupted again in Dharkayn Geenyo, killing 10 people. The Sool state government, at the behest of the Somaliland government, intervened in this struggle. The cause was an incident six months earlier in which 15 people were seriously injured when a settlement fell apart. In June, another clan war broke out, killing more than 20 people. The Somaliland government dispatched troops. Because of this incident, most of the inhabitants of Dharkayn Geenyo were evacuated to Las Anod
Las Anod (; ) is the administrative capital of the Sool region, currently controlled by Khatumo State forces aligned with Somalia.
Territorial dispute
The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the kins ...
. In July, the death toll stood at 52, and the Somaliland president called representatives of the Dharkayn Geenyo and Dhumay clans to the presidential palace to review the situation.
In November 2016, one person was injured in a dispute between the two clans in neighboring Las Anod
Las Anod (; ) is the administrative capital of the Sool region, currently controlled by Khatumo State forces aligned with Somalia.
Territorial dispute
The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the kins ...
, but the town of Dharkayn Geenyo remained peaceful.[
In April 2017, a delegation from the Somaliland government visited Dharkayn Geenyo and met with Qayaad chief Gaaad Ali Burale and others.
In February 2018, Qayaad chief Garad Ali Burale died in ]Las Anod
Las Anod (; ) is the administrative capital of the Sool region, currently controlled by Khatumo State forces aligned with Somalia.
Territorial dispute
The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the kins ...
.[
In March 2020, ]Garad Mukhtar Garad Ali
Garad Mukhtar Garad Ali Burale () waa madaax"dhaqaamedka mid ka mid ahaa Ee SSCKHAATUMO
Biography
Mukhtar's father Ali founded and led a new community in Dharkayn Geenyo in July 1999. Mukhtar was born in Dharkayn Geenyo at the end of the 20th c ...
Burale inaugurated the new Garad of the Qayaad clan in Dharkayn Geenyo. In conjunction with this, Somaliland's Minister of Information and Culture visited Dharkayn Geenyo for the groundbreaking ceremony of a $500,000 well. Also, one of the Dhulbahante clan elders garad mukhtaar garad Ali garad Buraale stated at this inauguration ceremony that Dharkayn Geenyo is not part of SSC Khaatumo STATE. Also present at the inauguration were elders from the Puntland-dominated region.
In November 2020, a mine exploded in a village near Dharkayn Geenyo, killing three pastoralists.[ They are mines from the former Somalia- SSC khaatumo war and are sometimes exposed during the rainy season.]
References
{{Reflist
External links
(Dharkayn Geenyo)
Populated places in Sool, Somaliland