The Habar Yoonis (, full
Nasab
Arabic names have historically been based on a long naming system. Many people from Arabic-speaking and also non-Arab Muslim countries have not had given, middle, and family names but rather a chain of names. This system remains in use througho ...
: '' Said ibn Al-Qādhī Ismā'īl ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad'') alternatively spelled as Habr Yunis is a major clan part of the Garhajis . As descendants of Ismail bin
Sheikh Isaaq
Ishaaq bin Ahmad bin Muhammad , more commonly known as Sheikh Ishaaq or Sheikh Isaaq (, ) is a prominent figure in the oral traditions of the Somali Isaaq clan-family. According to these traditions, which were also preserved in several Arabic Ha ...
, its members form a part of the Habar Magaadle confederation which constitutes one of the largest sub-clans of the
garhajis
The Habr Garhajis also contemporarily known as the Garhajis (, , Full Nasab: ''Ismā'īl al Qadhi ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad'') is a major Northern Somali clan of the wider Isaaq clan family. They are the traditional holders of the ...
.
Distribution
The Habar Yoonis inhabit Eastern
Maroodi Jeex
Marodi Jeh (, ), formerly known as Woqooyi Galbeed (lit. ''North West'') is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It is the most populous region of the country. It is bordered by Awdal to the west, Sahil to the north, To ...
western
Togdheer
Togdheer (, ) is an administrative region (''Administrative divisions of Somaliland, gobol'') in central Somaliland. Togdheer is bordered by Maroodi Jeex to the west, Sahil, Somaliland, Saaxil to the north, Sanaag to the northeast, Sool, Somalia ...
, southern
Sahil, northern and western
Sool and north,central and western and Eastern
Sanaag
Sanag (, ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in north eastern Somaliland.[Regions of Somalia](_blank)
Sa ...
regions 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 ...
. They also inhabit the
Degehbur,and
Wardheer
Werder (; ) is a town in eastern Ethiopia. Located in the Werder Zone of the Somali Region, Werder has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 541 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Werder (woreda), Werder wored ...
zones in the
Haud
The Haud (also Hawd) (, ), formerly known as the Hawd Reserve Area, is a plateau situated in the Horn of Africa consisting of thorn-bush and grasslands. The region includes the southern part of Somaliland as well as the northern and eastern part ...
region of
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 ...
. They also have a large settlement in
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
where they are known as a constituent segment of the Ishaqid (Isahakia) community. The Ishaq Arreh and musa abdallah subclans of the Habr Yunis inhabit the
Maroodi Jeex
Marodi Jeh (, ), formerly known as Woqooyi Galbeed (lit. ''North West'') is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It is the most populous region of the country. It is bordered by Awdal to the west, Sahil to the north, To ...
region 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 ...
.
History
Medieval period
Historically the Habr Yunis took part in the conquest of
Abyssinia
Abyssinia (; also known as Abyssinie, Abissinia, Habessinien, or Al-Habash) was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa situated in the northern highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.Sven Rubenson, The survival of Ethiopian independence, ...
and were part of the
Adal Sultanate
The Adal Sultanate, also known as the Adal Empire or Barr Saʿad dīn (alt. spelling ''Adel Sultanate'', ''Adal Sultanate'') (), was a medieval Sunni Muslim empire which was located in the Horn of Africa. It was founded by Sabr ad-Din III on th ...
and are mentioned in the book ''Futuh Al-Habash'' (Conquest of Abyssinia) as the ''Habar Magaadle''. The Habar Magaadle are known for producing a historical figure known as ''Ahmad Gurey bin Husain'' who was the right-hand man of
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (, Harari: አሕመድ ኢብራሂም አል-ጋዚ, ; 21 July 1506 – 10 February 1543) was the Imam of the Adal Sultanate from 1527 to 1543. Commonly named Ahmed ''Gragn'' in Amharic and ''Gurey'' in Somali, ...
.
I. M. Lewis discusses the existence of another leader named Ahmad Gurey, and suggests that the two leaders have been conflated into one historical figure:
The text refers to two Ahmad's with the nickname 'Left-handed'. One is regularly presented as 'Ahmad Guray, the Somali' (...) identified as Ahmad Gurey Xuseyn, chief of the Habar Magadle . Another reference, however, appears to link the Habar Magadle with the Eidagal. The other Ahmad is simply referred to as 'Imam Ahmad' or simply the 'Imam'.This Ahmad is not qualified by the adjective Somali (...) The two Ahmad's have been conflated into one figure, the heroic Ahmed Guray
Some descendants of the Habr Yunis knights who participated in the conquest still inhabit regions west of Harar near
Hirna. Ulrich Braukämper in ''A History of the Hadiyya in Southern Ethiopia'' states :
Amongst the troops recruited from the eastern pans of the Horn of Africa for the Jihad
''Jihad'' (; ) is an Arabic word that means "exerting", "striving", or "struggling", particularly with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it encompasses almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with God in Islam, God ...
, warriors of Somali descent occasionally stayed in the conquered territories of the west and settled in the principalities of Hadiyya, Sarha and Bale. In present-day Arsi land there are still sporadic recollections of these Ogaadeen peoples. Occasionally they are still identifiable by their ethnic origin, like the Habr Yuunis and Garjeeda. Preserving bonds of interethnic clan relations with the Somali inhabited region...the Habr Yuunis from the vicinity of Hirna in Carcar joined the exodus to the west at the time of Amir Nur and occupied an area suitable for livestock-breeding east of Lake Zay.
Habr Yunis Sultanate
The sultanate was founded by the
Rer Ainanshe
The Reer Caynaashe also spelled Reer Caynaanshe () are a royal Somali clan and were the dynastic rulers of the Habr Yunis Sultanate. They divide into 17 major sub-clans that together form the Baha Ainanshe and Rer Sugulle, from the latter descend ...
sub branch of the Habr Yunis. The clan takes its name from their 18th century Patriarch ''Ainanshe Hersi'' who was a
Chieftain
A tribal chief, chieftain, or headman is a leader of a tribe, tribal society or chiefdom.
Tribal societies
There is no definition for "tribe".
The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of weste ...
of the Habar Yoonis clan. As was the norm of Somali chieftains, Ainanshe had multiple wives. His first wife belonged to the Jibrahil clan and was the mother of his eldest son Sugulle who would go on to found the Ba Jibrhil Rer Sugulle which is the section of the clan that all the Habr Yunis Sultan's descend. Ainanshe's other wives Mun, Basla and Egalo bore him 16 sons who are collectively known as the Baha Ainanshe. The etymology of the name Ainanshe originates from the word ''Ainan'' which in Somali means the horse's
reins
Reins are used to direct a horse (or other animal) when riding or driving. They are attached to a bridle's bit or noseband and are made of leather, nylon, or other materials. Reins are used to give subtle commands or cues—also known as rei ...
, when suffixed with ''she'' it takes on the meaning of one who is holding the reins, leading and guiding from disaster. Ainanshe's tomb is located to the south of Burao in the town of ''Jameecada Caynaanshe'' near the
Oodweyne district border.
Enrico Baudi i Vesme who visited Burao in 1889 met the sons of Burao Chieftains
Guled Ahmed Sugulle and Awad Gal, they relayed to him the following:
..They told me the story of their tribe. The chieftain of the Habr Yunis lineage, named Ainanshe, had 17 sons, one of whose name was Sugulle. First they stayed together, then they separated, forming one
Rer Sugulle, who are the most numerous, the other 16 sons together, the Baha Ainanshe. When, a few years ago, there was war between Awad and Nur, the latter ended up settling in Toyo with part of the Habr Yunis.
Volume 7 of ''Etiopia rassegna illustrata dell'Impero '' describing the Rer Ainanshe states :
Rer Ainanshe (Baha) and Rer Sugulle belonging to the Ismail Arreh are the center of the Habr Yunis group and also their backbone. Their prestige is probably the highest among the Somalis, and both in number, compactness, fighting ability and raids may perhaps be considered to occupy the first place together being equal to each other. The Rer Sugulle, in fact, belongs to the main branch of the Ainanshe but can be considered a separate group. The two are not at all interwined but in case of a Habr Yunis movement the tribe may gather around these two sub-tribes.

The Habr Yunis Sultanate finds its roots in the
Isaaq Sultanate
The Isaaq Sultanate (, Wadaad's writing, Wadaad: , ) was a Muslims, Muslim sultanate that ruled parts of the Horn of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The kingdom spanned the territories of the Isaaq clan in modern-day Somaliland and Ethiopi ...
which was established by the Rer Guled branch of the
Eidagale
The Eidagalle (; ) is a major Somali clan of the Isaaq clan family. Members of this clan are concentrated in Somaliland and the Somali region. They are the traditional holders of the Isaaq Sultanate since the 18th century. As descendants of Is ...
after the Isaaq successfully defeated the
Absame clan at Lafaruug in the 17th century. With time the Habr Yunis and later the
Habr Awal
The Habr Awal, alternately known as the Zubeyr Awal (, , Full Name: '' Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ash-Ishaaq bin Ahmed, Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad)'' is one of the largest subclans of the wider Isaaq clan family, and is further divided into eight su ...
and
Habr Je'lo
The Habr Je'lo (), , Full Name: ''Mūsa ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad,'' historically known as the Habr Toljaala () is a major Northern Somali clan of the wider Isaaq family. Its members form the Habr Habusheed () confederation along with t ...
would break from the Isaaq Sultanate with the Habr Yunis forming their own Sultanate led by
Sugulle the son of the previous Habr Yunis Chieftain,
Ainanshe Hersi. The Sultan
Deria Sugulleh would establish his capital at Wadhan (Waram) near the Sheikh pass and tax and administer the affairs of the Habr Yunis from the town. Large caravans bound for
Berbera
Berbera (; , ) is the capital of the Sahil, Somaliland, Sahil region of Somaliland and is the main sea port of the country, located approximately 160 km from the national capital, Hargeisa. Berbera is a coastal city and was the former capital of t ...
would pass through Habr Yunis territory through
Burao
Burao, also spelt Bur'o or Bur'ao (; , , ), is the capital of the Togdheer region and the second largest city in Somaliland. Burao was the site of the Somaliland Declaration of Independence, declaration of an independent Somaliland on 18 May 19 ...
and then Wadhan and proved a lucrative source of income for Sultan Deria.
Deria was succeeded by Hersi the son of Aman Deria who had died before his Sultan father, he was an important Habr Yunis chieftain. Vesme Baudi travelling through Habr Je'lo country east of Burao in 1889 gives an account of Aman's tomb.
At nine o'clock we arrived at Baiadowal, on the Thug Dehr, a charming site, where the trees form a small forest, in which the most delightful coolness is enjoyed. A few hundred meters away there is a tomb surrounded by a palisade of tree trunks made with care. There rests a chieftain of the Habr Junis, by name Ohman-Dhirrin man Deria.his tribe had intermingled with the Habr Gialeh, and when that chief had died, they had made him that tomb with a palisade in memory of his great merits.
Hersi Aman is remembered for his successful conquests and expansion of Garhajis territory in the
Haud
The Haud (also Hawd) (, ), formerly known as the Hawd Reserve Area, is a plateau situated in the Horn of Africa consisting of thorn-bush and grasslands. The region includes the southern part of Somaliland as well as the northern and eastern part ...
. His reign was abruptly ended when he was killed in a battle against the kindred Baha Sugulleh.
Ismail Mire in his famous poem ''Ragow Kibirka Waa Lagu Kufaa'' (Pride Comes Before a Fall) comments on Hersi's conquests, pride and desire to rule.
Dual Sultans Era

After the death of Sultan
Hersi Aman, the Baha Deria and Baha Makahil sections of the Sugulle dynasty vied for the Sultanship, which divided the
Habr Yunis
The Habar Yoonis (, full Nasab: '' Said ibn Al-Qādhī Ismā'īl ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad'') alternatively spelled as Habr Yunis is a major clan part of the Garhajis . As descendants of Ismail bin Ishaaq bin Ahmed, Sheikh Isaaq, it ...
clan into two factions, the Baha Deria faction led by
Guled Haji crowned
Awad Deria a surviving son of the Sultan
Deria Sugulleh. The Bah Makahil crowned
Nur Ahmed Aman
Sultan Nur Ahmed Aman (; (1841–1907); Somali nickname Nuur Dheere), was a learned religious leader and the 5th Sultan of the Habr Yunis Sultanate and later also one of the leaders behind the Dervish movement (Somali), Somali Dervish movement and ...
a young Mullah and nephew of Hersi Aman. Nur was initially uneasy and preferred his life as a Mullah rather than being the Sultan designate. The Habr Yunis were not interrupted by the
British Somaliland
British Somaliland, officially the Somaliland Protectorate (), was a protectorate of the United Kingdom in modern Somaliland. It was bordered by Italian Somalia, French Somali Coast and Ethiopian Empire, Abyssinia (Italian Ethiopia from 1936 ...
protectorate which had been established in 1884 and was still largely relegated to the coast and its capital of
Berbera
Berbera (; , ) is the capital of the Sahil, Somaliland, Sahil region of Somaliland and is the main sea port of the country, located approximately 160 km from the national capital, Hargeisa. Berbera is a coastal city and was the former capital of t ...
. The two Sultans engaged in a lengthy war and divided the Sultanate's territory, where Awad ruled the Sultanate from his chosen capital of
Burao
Burao, also spelt Bur'o or Bur'ao (; , , ), is the capital of the Togdheer region and the second largest city in Somaliland. Burao was the site of the Somaliland Declaration of Independence, declaration of an independent Somaliland on 18 May 19 ...
and Nur from the Tuuyo plains and
Oodweyne.
Frank Linsly James visited Sultan Awad at Burao in 1884 and witnessed the dissenting situation between the two Sultans. Describing the political situation in the region and frequent raids between the two rival Rer Sugulleh factions and their allied Habr Yunis subclans
It appeared the great Habr Gerhajis tribe was divided into two rival factions, the one owning allegiance to Sultan Owd, the other to his cousin, Sultan Noor. Between these two the country was about evenly divided, and the border-line was an everlasting scene of wars and rumours of wars, cattle raids, and attempted murders.
The Haber-Gerhajis tribe had formerly been under one Sultan and were very powerful, making frequent raids into Ogadayn, but on his death, two cousins, Awad and Nur, divided the country between them.
Awad was killed fighting in
Ogaden
Ogaden (pronounced and often spelled ''Ogadēn''; , ) is one of the historical names used for the modern Somali Region. It is also natively referred to as Soomaali Galbeed (). The region forms the eastern portion of Ethiopia and borders Somalia ...
by the Reer Ali. This allowed Nur to establish himself at Burao and rule over the entirety of the Habr Yunis. The Baha Deria still did not concede defeat and would eventually choose Awad's nephew,
Madar Hersi, as their successor following Nur's death. Sultan Nur convened a ''shir'' of the Habr Yunis and decided to draw lots to settle the dispute with his challenger
Madar Hersi rather than continue the senseless infighting that had lasted since Hersi Aman's death. Sultan Nur won the draw and gave Madar Hersi 100 camels as compensation and was proclaimed the uncontested Sultan of the Habr Yunis. The reunified rule under one Sultan Nur would last until the formation of the
Dervish Movement several years later in 1899.
Early Dervish period
Sultan Nur had been the architect of disturbances at Berbera and was the man who narrated the famous story of French Catholic missionaries in Berbera converting Somali children. According to the consul-general
James Hayes Sadler this news was either spread or concocted by
Sultan Nur of the
Habr Yunis
The Habar Yoonis (, full Nasab: '' Said ibn Al-Qādhī Ismā'īl ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad'') alternatively spelled as Habr Yunis is a major clan part of the Garhajis . As descendants of Ismail bin Ishaaq bin Ahmed, Sheikh Isaaq, it ...
.
Madar Hersi his former rival for the Sultan title had aided the Mullahs of Kob Fardod in recovering livestock that was previously looted by some of the Habr Yunis and this reignited after receiving aid from the Mullahs there notably
Mohammed Abdullah Hassan
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, ...
. Upon his visit to
Oodweyne in July 1899 Sultan Nur convened a great ''shir'' of the western Habr Yunis clans and called on them to join the new Dervish movement and upon their refusal he would leave to
Burao
Burao, also spelt Bur'o or Bur'ao (; , , ), is the capital of the Togdheer region and the second largest city in Somaliland. Burao was the site of the Somaliland Declaration of Independence, declaration of an independent Somaliland on 18 May 19 ...
and successfully rallied the eastern sections of the clan. The Dervish would declare war from Burao on 1 September of 1899. Madar was soon propagated as the legitimate Sultan by British authorities and managed the western sections of the clan throughout the period of the Dervish wars.

The last intelligence report mention of Sultan Nur in the Italian archives was in 1907. After the death of Sultan Nur 1907/1908 in the Dervish camp at
Taleh
Taleh (, ) is a historical town in Sool region of Somalia. The town served as the capital of the pre-independence Dervish movement.Laurence, p.47.
The Dalyare fort and the Taleh complex built between 1909 and 1910 are among the least disfigur ...
his son
Dolal Nur ascended the sultanate in the dervish camp.
Sultan Nur was buried by his dervish in a large domed tomb in Taleh, his tomb predated the later dervish forts. His white tomb in the dervish capital is a testimony to his contribution to the movement. Few dervish founders are commemorated in Taleh, numbering only four.
[Taleh by W. A. MacFadyen, The Geographical Journal Vol. 78, No. 2 (Aug., 1931), pp. 125–128.]
William Archibald Macfadyen, a British geologist and the only scholar to study the structures of Taleh fort, mentioned the handful of tombs constructed by the dervish for their leaders and gave a detailed description of the tombs in 1931. In his article Macfayden only identified Sultan Nur's tomb by name out of the four dervish entombed in Taleh:
"South of the main cave-well is the considerable tomb of Abdullah Hasan senior, well plastered inside and out; it is now said to be empty. Adjoining this on the west is a walled garden with massive gateway and guard-house; the rest of the wall is not more than 5 feet high and plastered. There are still odd bushes and signs of cultivation to be seen, but the comparatively deep well in the middle is dry. To the east lies a row of four tombs. The most northerly is that of oneSoldan Nur of the Habr Yunis tribe; the next two, neither being plastered.and the first with the top left unfinished, are those of Hawiya notables whosenames my Somalis did not know. The most southerly tomb is that of aman of the Habr Jaalo tribe. The isolated tomb still farther east is that of'AbdullahHasan's mother. All the tombs are provided with narrow but very massive wooden doors, swinging about vertical extensions from top and baseof one side."
After the
Bombing campaign of the Taleh fort and the Dervish retreat into Ethiopia, Tribal Chief Haji Mohammad Bullaleh (Haji the Hyena), a cousin of Sultan Nur, commanded a 3000 strong army that consisted of Habr Yunis,
Habr Je'lo
The Habr Je'lo (), , Full Name: ''Mūsa ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad,'' historically known as the Habr Toljaala () is a major Northern Somali clan of the wider Isaaq family. Its members form the Habr Habusheed () confederation along with t ...
and
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 ...
warriors and pursued the fleeing Dervishes. They attacked Muhammad Abdallah Hassan and his army in the
Ogaden region and swiftly defeated them, causing Muhammad to flee to the town of
Imi. Haji and his army looted 60,000 livestock and 700 rifles from the dervishes, which dealt a severe blow to them economically, a blow from which they did not recover.
Rulers
The Habr Yunis Sultanate had eight rulers throughout its duration and the institution of Sultan still lasts today with the Baha Deria leading I conflict still not being completely resolved. The Bah Makahil maintain a well respected pretender although the current Sultan
Osman Ali Madar of the Baha Deria is considered as the Sultan of the Habr Yunis.
Haji Sharmarke Ali Saleh, governor of Berbera, Zeila and Tadjoura

The Habr Yunis exercised real power over Zeila and its adjacent regions and had established themselves as a coastal power, with
Sharmarke Ali Saleh (Musa Arreh) solidifying and consolidating his power in governing
Zeila
Zeila (, ), also known as Zaila or Zayla, is a historical port town in the western Awdal region of Somaliland.
In the Middle Ages, the Jewish traveller Benjamin of Tudela identified Zeila with the Biblical location of Havilah. Most modern schola ...
,
Berbera
Berbera (; , ) is the capital of the Sahil, Somaliland, Sahil region of Somaliland and is the main sea port of the country, located approximately 160 km from the national capital, Hargeisa. Berbera is a coastal city and was the former capital of t ...
and
Tadjoura
Tadjoura (; ; ) is one of the oldest towns in Djibouti and the capital of the Tadjourah Region. The town rose to prominence in the early 19th century as an alternative port to nearby Zeila. Lying on the Gulf of Tadjoura, it is home to a popula ...
. In 1841 Sharmarke with fifty
Matchlock
A matchlock or firelock is a historical type of firearm wherein the gunpowder is ignited by a burning piece of flammable cord or twine that is in contact with the gunpowder through a mechanism that the musketeer activates by pulling a lever or Tri ...
men, two
cannons
A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during t ...
and an army of mounted spearmen managed to invade Zeila and depose its Arab Governor, Mohammed Al Barr. Sharmarke used the canons to fire at the city walls which frightened Al Barr's followers and caused them to flee. Sharmarke succeeded Al Barr as the ruler of Zeila and its dependencies. Sharmarke's governorship had an instant effect on the city, as he maneuvered to monopolize as much of the regional trade as possible, with his sights set as far as Harar and the Ogaden. Having secured Zeila, in 1845 Sharmarke moved on to Berbera which at the time was experiencing instability as a result of a war between the
Habr Awal
The Habr Awal, alternately known as the Zubeyr Awal (, , Full Name: '' Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ash-Ishaaq bin Ahmed, Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad)'' is one of the largest subclans of the wider Isaaq clan family, and is further divided into eight su ...
Reer Yunis Nur and Reer Ahmed Nur sub-clans over the control of Berbera's trade. Sharmarke took advantage of this rivalry and supported the Reer Ahmed Nuh who had since been expelled from Berbera. Sharmarke took over Berbera and built four
Martello tower
Martello towers are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts.
They stand up to high (with two floors) and typica ...
s in the vicinity of the town and garrisoned them with 30
Matchlock
A matchlock or firelock is a historical type of firearm wherein the gunpowder is ignited by a burning piece of flammable cord or twine that is in contact with the gunpowder through a mechanism that the musketeer activates by pulling a lever or Tri ...
men. A war ensued with in the city as Reer Yunis Nuh tried gain a foothold within Berbera, the Reer Yunis Nuh were no match for Sharmarke and his modern weapons and thus failed. The Reer Yunis Nuh were expelled and moved to
Bulhar Sharmarke's influence was not limited to the coast as he had many allies in the interior of the Somali country and even further in Abyssinia. Among his allies were the Kings of Shewa. When there was tension between the Amir of Harar
Abu Bakr II ibn `Abd al-Munan and Sharmarke, as a result of the Amir arresting one of his agents in
Harar
Harar (; Harari language, Harari: ሀረር / ; ; ; ), known historically by the indigenous as Harar-Gey or simply Gey (Harari: ጌይ, ݘٛىيْ, ''Gēy'', ), is a List of cities with defensive walls, walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is al ...
, Sharmarke persuaded the son of
Sahle Selassie
Sahle Selassie (Amharic: ሣህለ ሥላሴ, 1795 – 22 October 1847) was the Negus, King of Shewa from 1813 to 1847. An important Amhara people, Amhara noble of Ethiopia, he was a younger son of Wossen Seged. Sahle Selassie was the father of ...
, the King of
Shewa
Shewa (; ; Somali: Shawa; , ), formerly romanized as Shua, Shoa, Showa, Shuwa, is a historical region of Ethiopia which was formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire. The modern Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa is located at it ...
, to imprison on his behalf about 300 citizens of Harar then resident in Shewa, for a length of two years.
[Burton, ''First Footsteps'', pp. 176 and note] In 1855, in an act seen as defiant of foreign powers, Sharmarke refused to sell to M. Richet, the French agent at
Jeddah
Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...
, a house in Zeila, citing "how easily an Agency becomes a fort", and preferring "a considerable loss to the presence of dangerous friends".
[First footsteps in East Africa : or, An exploration of Harar by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821–1890; Burton, Isabel, Lady, Published 1894]
Burao Tax Revolt and RAF bombing

Sections of the Habr Yunis once again clashed with the British in 1922 after a heavy tax was imposed upon them at Burao, the Hersi Osman clan revolted in opposition to the tax and this caused them to clash with other sections of the Habr Yunis and the British colonial government. In the ensuing riot and shootout between the British and Hersi Osman, Captain Allan Gibb, a Dervish war veteran and district commissioner, was shot and killed. The British fearing they could not contain the revolt requested from Sir
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
, then
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The secretary of state for the colonies or colonial secretary was the Cabinet of the United Kingdom's government minister, minister in charge of managing certain parts of the British Empire.
The colonial secretary never had responsibility for t ...
, to send troops from
Aden
Aden () is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, on the north coast of the Gulf of Aden, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km (110 mi) east of ...
and Airplane bombers in order to bomb Burao and livestock of the revolting clans to quell any further rebellion. The RAF planes arrived at Burao within two days and proceeded to Bomb the town with incendiaries, effectively burning the entire settlement to the ground.
[Correspondence between Governor of British Somaliland and Secretary of State for the Colonies. Colonial Office, 26 March 1922.]
Telegram from
Sir Geoffrey Archer, Governor of British Somaliland to
Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
the
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The secretary of state for the colonies or colonial secretary was the Cabinet of the United Kingdom's government minister, minister in charge of managing certain parts of the British Empire.
The colonial secretary never had responsibility for t ...
:
I deeply regret to inform that during an affray at Burao yesterday between Rer Sugulleh and Akils of other tribes Captain Gibb was shot dead. Having called out Camel corps company to quell the disturbance, he went forward himself with his interperter, whereupon fire opened on him by some Rer segulleh riflemen and he was instantly killed..Miscreants then disappeared under the cover of darkness.
In order to meet the situation created by the Murder of Gibb, we require two aeroplanes for about fourteen days. I have arranged with resident, Aden, for these. And made formal application, which please confirm. It is proposed they fly via Perim, confining sea crossing to 12 miles. We propose to inflict fine of 2,500 camels on implicated sections, who are practically isolated and demand surrender of man who killed Gibbs. He is known. Fine to be doubled in failure to comply with latter conditions and aeroplanes to be used to bomb stock on grazing grounds.
Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
reporting on the Burao incident at the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
:
On 25th February the Governor of Somaliland telegraphed that an affray between tribesmen had taken place at Burao on the previous day, in the course of which Captain Allan Gibb, D.S.O., D.C.M., the District Commissioner at Burao, had been shot dead. Captain Gibb had advanced with his interpreter to quell the disturbance, when 1954 fire was opened upon him by some riflemen, and he was instantly killed. The murderers escaped under cover of falling darkness.
Captain Gibb was an officer of long and valued service in Somaliland, whose loss I deeply regret. From the information available, his murder does not appear to have been premeditated, but it inevitably had a disturbing effect upon the surrounding tribes, and immediate dispositions of troops became necessary in order to ensure the apprehension and punishment of those responsible for the murder. On 27th February the Governor telegraphed that, in order to meet the situation which had arisen, he required two aeroplanes for purposes of demonstration, and suggested that two aeroplanes from the Royal Air Force Detachment at Aden should fly over to Berber a from Aden. He also telegraphed that in certain circumstances it might become necessary to ask for reinforcements of troops to be sent to the Protectorate.
James Lawrence author of ''Imperial Rearguard: Wars of Empire'' writes
ibb.was murdered by rioters during a protest against taxation at Burao. Governor Archer immediately called for aircraft which were at Burao within two days. The inhabitants of the native township were turned out of their houses, and the entire area was razed by a combination of bombing, machine-gun fire and burning.
After the RAF aircraft bombed Burao to the ground, the Hersi Osman eventually acquiesced, agreeing to pay a fine for Gibbs death, but they refused to identify and apprehend the accused individuals. Most of the men responsible for Gibb's shooting evaded capture. In light of the failure to implement the taxation without provoking a violent response, the British abandoned the policy altogether.
Somali civil war and the Somali National Movement (SNM)
The
Somali National Movement
The Somali National Movement (, ) was one of the first and most important Guerrilla warfare, organized guerilla groups and Mujahideen groups that opposed the Siad Barre regime in the 1980s to the 1990s, as well as being the main anti-government f ...
(SNM) was a 1980s–1990s rebel group. The SNM was organized in London, England, on 6 April 1981, by
Hassan Adan Wadadid
Hassan Adan Wadadid was a Somali politician and diplomat. He was the Somali Republic ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan during the 60s. He was one of the founders of the Somali National Movement and served as the movement's first Vice-Chai ...
a former Somali diplomat and several other Isaaq intellectuals, he stated that the group's purpose was to overthrow the Siad Barre regime.
Helen Chapin Metz
Helen Chapin Metz (April 12, 1928 – May 13, 2011) was an American editor and Middle East analyst.
Life
Helen Chapin was born on April 12, 1928, in Peking, China. She was the daughter of diplomat Selden Chapin and Mary Paul Noyes. Her brother, ...
, ''Somalia: a country study'', Volume 550, Issues 86-993, (The Division: 1993), p.xxviii. The SNM gathered its main base of support from members of the Isaaq clan, who formed and supported the movement in response to years of systematic discrimination by the Siad Barre government.
Habar Yoonis members served twice as chairman of the movement, with Colonel
Abdiqadir Kosar Abdi
Abdiqadir Kosar Abdi was a Somalilander military leader. He was a Colonel of the SNA he was deputy commander battle of Godoy, one of the most skilled officer's in SNA and the third chairman of the Somaliland National Movement. He hailed from ...
and
Abdirahman Tuur and once as Vice chairman with Hassan Adan Wadadid. Habar Yoonis Commanders carried out many successful operations that led to the decisive victory of the group and to the downfall of the Siad Barre regime. Such operations included the Birjeex raid led by Colonel
Ibrahim Koodbuur and Operation Mandheera led by
Mohamed Hashi Lihle Lixle where they successfully freed hundreds of Isaaq political prisoners whose executions were imminent.

Under the leadership of
Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur
Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur (, ) (var. "Tur", "Tour", meaning "Hunchback") (November 6, 1931 - November 8, 2003) was a Somali politician who served as the first President of Somaliland from 1991 to 1993. Tuur previously served as the Chairman of ...
the SNM carried out a successful invasion of Northern Somalia overthrowing the Communist regime and establishing the democratic state 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 ...
. Abdirahman was sworn in as Somaliland's first president.
List of Habar Yoonis SNM leaders:
*
Abdirahman Tuur
*
Abdiqadir Kosar
*
Mohamed Hashi Lihle
*
Mohamed Ali
* Haragwaafi
* Madah-diin
* Ahmed Mire
* General Hassan Kayd
Clan Tree

A summarized clan family tree of the major Garhajis subclan of Habar Yunis is presented below.
[A general survey of the Somaliland Protectorate 1944-1950, p147]
*Ishaaq bin Ahmed
**Habar Habuusheed
***Ahmed (Tol-Ja'lo)
***Muuse (Habr Je'lo)
***Ibrahiim (Sanbuur)
***Muhammad ('Ibraan)
**Habar Magaadle
***Abdirahman (Habr Awal)
***Ayub
***Muhammad (Arap)
***Ismail (Garhajis)
****Sa'id (Habar Yunis)
*****Ali Sa'id
******Logeh Ali
******Baleh Ali
******Haji Salah Ali
*******Farah Haji
*******Hasan Haji
********Samatar Hasan
********'Uthman Hasan
********Samakab Hasan
********Abdi Hasan
********Abdullah Hasan
********Ziyad Hasan
*****Arreh Sa'id
******Ishaq Arreh
*******Abdalle Ishaq
*******Qaasim Ishaq
*******Kalil Ishaq
******Musa Arreh
*******Hassan Musa
*******Ibrahim Musa
*******Damal Musa (Dir Roble)
******Ismail Arreh
*******Sa'ad Yunis
********Mahamoud Sa'ad
********Hasan (Barkad) Sa'ad
********Mohammed (Idrays) Sa'ad
*******Musa Ismail
********Salah Musa (Turwa)
********Mohammed Musa (Urursuge)
********Yunis Musa
*******Abdallah Ismail
********Idris (Idrays)
*********Musa Idris
*********Mahamad Idris
*********Sa'eed Idris
********Musa Abdallah
*********Mohammed Musa
**********Farah Mohammed
***********Hasan Farah
***********Hussein Farah (Ba Gumaron)
***********Allamagan Farah
***********Jibril Farah
***********'Ali Farah
************Hasan 'Ali
************Omar 'Ali
************'Amar 'Ali
************'Abdallah 'Ali
*********Logeh Musa
**********Abokor Logeh
***********Musa Abokor
***********'Ali Abokor
************Hasan 'Ali
************Hagar 'Ali
***********Egal Abokor
************Mohammed Egal
************Hassan Egal (Rer Diriyeh)
************Bayle Egal
************Maax Egal (Rer Maah)
********Omar Abdallah
********Kalil Omar
********Ugadh Omar
********Adan Omar
*********Elmi Adan
*********Egal Adan
*********Mohamed Adan
**********Roble Mohamed (Arabala)
**********Hildid Mohamed
**********Hussein Hildid(Rer Hussein)
**********Hassan Hildid (Gumbur)
**********Abokor Hildid
**********Osman Hildid
***********Abdi Osman (Ba Dhulbahante)
***********Ali Osman (Ba Dhulbahante)
***********Mumin Osman (Rer Mumin)
***********Hersi Osman
************Fahiya Hersi
************Warsama Hersi
************Ali Hersi
************Yusuf Hersi
************Hildid Hersi
************Said Hersi
*************Warsama Said (Rer Waraba)
*************Weid said (Rer Waid)
*************Egal Said
************Abdi Hersi
*************Reer Diriye
**************Jamal Osman
************Ainanshe Hersi (Current holders of the
Habr Yunis Sultanate
The Habr Yunis Sultanate (, ) was a Somali kingdom that ruled parts of the Horn of Africa during the 18th century. It spanned the territories of the Habr Yunis clan which is part of the wider Isaaq in modern day Somaliland and Ethiopia. The su ...
*************
Sugulleh Ainashe
*************Eise Ainanshe
*************Wa’ays Ainanshe
*************Suban Ainanshe
*************Abdi Ainanshe
*************Egal Ainanshe
*************Omar Ainanshe
*************Koshin Ainanshe
*************Maygag Ainanshe
*************Butiye Ainanshe
*************Ahmed Ainanshe
*************Farah Ainanshe
*************Samaale Ainanshe
*************Hersi Ainanshe
*************Guled Ainanshe
*************Gutale Ainanshe
*************Liibaan Ainanshe
Notable people

*
Abdillahi Diiriye Guled - Literary scholar and discoverer of the Somali prosodic system
*
Abdiqadir Kosar Abdi
Abdiqadir Kosar Abdi was a Somalilander military leader. He was a Colonel of the SNA he was deputy commander battle of Godoy, one of the most skilled officer's in SNA and the third chairman of the Somaliland National Movement. He hailed from ...
– Former chairman of the
SNM and army colonel
*
Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur
Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur (, ) (var. "Tur", "Tour", meaning "Hunchback") (November 6, 1931 - November 8, 2003) was a Somali politician who served as the first President of Somaliland from 1991 to 1993. Tuur previously served as the Chairman of ...
– the first president of Somaliland and the last Somali National Movement(SNM) Chairman
*
Sheekh Dalmar – ex governor erigavo 1960 to 1968
*
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (, ; born 24 April 1956), colloquially known as Irro (), is a Somaliland politician and diplomat who has been the 6th and current President of Somaliland since 12 December 2024.
Abdirahman served as speaker of t ...
– former Speaker of the House of Representatives of Somaliland and the newly elected president of Somaliland.
*
Abdirisaq Ibrahim Abdi
Abdirisaq Ibrahim Abdi nicknamed Hero () is a Somaliland politician, and the current Mayor of Burao, the capital and the largest city of Togdheer region of Somaliland since 20 June 2021. He succeeded Mohamed Yusuf Abdirahman on 20 June 2021 after ...
– current mayor of Burao
*
Abdisalam Yasin Mohamed – Prominent Somali intellectual and one of the founding fathers of the
SNM
*
Abdullahi Qarshe – Somali musician, poet and playwright; known as the "father of Somali music"
*
Ahmed Hassan Diria – Somali Tanzanian diplomat and politician, served as Minister of Foreign Affairs
*
Ahmed Said Ahmed - international
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays for
VJS, as a
defender
*
Ali Ibrahim Jama - Governor of the Bank of Somaliland
*
Ali Ismail Yacqub
Sheikh Ali Ismail Yacqub (; born 1930) is a Somali former politician, who served as the Minister of Defence of the Somali Republic; he also served as the Deputy Minister of Justice.
Sheikh Ali was an influential member of the Somali National Leag ...
- First Minister of Defence for the
Somali Republic
The Somali Republic (; ; ) was formed by the union of the Trust Territory of Somaliland (formerly Italian Somaliland) and the State of Somaliland (formerly British Somaliland). A government was formed by Abdullahi Issa Mohamud and Muhammad ...
*
Ali Mohamed Warancadde - Somali politician, former minister
Minister of Interior of Somaliland and
Minister of Civil Aviation of Somaliland
*
Ali Sugule Egal
Sugule (, , ) was a Somalis, Somali poet. Sugulle is considered to be one of the greatest composers, poets and playwrights of the Somali language.
Overview
Sugulle was born in 1936 in Hargeisa in former British Somaliland (now Somaliland) to an ...
– one of the greatest composers, poets and playwrights of the Somali language.
*
Amina Moghe Hersi – prominent businesswoman and wealthiest Somali woman
*
Awad Deria – 5th Sultan of the Habr Yunis clan
*
Deria Sugulleh Ainashe – 2nd Sultan of the Habr Yunis clan
*
Dolal Nur – 6th Sultan of the Habr Yunis clan
*
Fowsiyo Yusuf Haji Adan – former Foreign Minister of Somalia and MP in Federal Parliament
*
Haji Yusuf Iman Guled - Minister of Defence of Somalia 1967-1969
*
Hassan Adan Wadadid
Hassan Adan Wadadid was a Somali politician and diplomat. He was the Somali Republic ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan during the 60s. He was one of the founders of the Somali National Movement and served as the movement's first Vice-Chai ...
– Somali Republic ambassador to
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
and
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
and one of the original founders and Vice Chairman of the
Somali National Movement
The Somali National Movement (, ) was one of the first and most important Guerrilla warfare, organized guerilla groups and Mujahideen groups that opposed the Siad Barre regime in the 1980s to the 1990s, as well as being the main anti-government f ...
*
Hassan Ismail Yusuf – Somali politician and served as the
Minister of Health of Somaliland
*
Hersi Aman – 3rd Sultan of the Habr Yunis clan
*
Hussein Ali Duale – diplomat and politician who served as the Finance Minister of Somaliland
*
Ismail Haji Nour – current mayor of Erigavo since 2002
*
Madar Hersi - 7th Sultan of the Habr Yunis
*
Mohamed Ainanshe Guled
Brigadier general, Brigadier General Mohamed Ainanshe Guled () was a Somalis, Somali military officer and politician who served as the Vice President of Somalia, First Vice President of Somali Democratic Republic, Somalia from 1969 to 1971.
A p ...
- Brigadier General of SNA and the vice president of the
Somali Democratic Republic
The Somali Democratic Republic (; , ; ) was a socialist state in Somalia that existed from 1969 to 1991.
Established in October 1969, the Somali Democratic Republic emerged following a 1969 Somali coup d'état, coup d'état led by Major General ...
from 1969 to 1971
*
Mohamed Bullaleh - Prominent 20th Century tribal chief and commander of the Hagoogane raid that destroyed
Dervish movement
*
Mohamed Ali - Somali military commander and revolutionary. He is known for his leadership within Western Somali Liberation Front, Afraad and later the Somali National Movement.
*
Mohamed Hashi Lihle - Colonel of the
SNA and later the commander of the military wing of the Somali National Movement
*
Mona Kosar Abdi
Mona Kosar Abdi (born May 13, 1991) is an American multimedia journalist. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego where she earned a BA in International Studies, Political Science, and Communications.
In January 2019, she joi ...
– news anchor for ABC's Good Morning America
*
Nur Ahmed Aman
Sultan Nur Ahmed Aman (; (1841–1907); Somali nickname Nuur Dheere), was a learned religious leader and the 5th Sultan of the Habr Yunis Sultanate and later also one of the leaders behind the Dervish movement (Somali), Somali Dervish movement and ...
– 4th sultan of the Habr Yunis and one of the founders of the Somali
Dervish movement
*
Osman Jama Ali
Osman Jama Ali (, ) (born 1941) is a Somali politician. He was Deputy Prime Minister of the Transitional National Government of Somalia and briefly served as the acting Prime Minister from October 28, 2001 to November 12, 2001.Somalia
Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
under the
Transitional National Government
The Transitional National Government (TNG) was the internationally recognized central government of Somalia from 2000 to 2004.
Overview
The TNG was established in 20 April–5 May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference held in Arta, Djibo ...
*
Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed – Former Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia and Former Minister of Religious Affairs of Somalia.
*
Said Sulub Mohamed – Somali politician, who is currently serving as the
Minister of Livestock and Fisheries of Somaliland.
*
Salah Ahmed Jama - Current Deputy Prime Minister of the
Federal Government of Somalia
The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS; , DFS; ) is the internationally recognised government of Somalia, and the longest running attempt to create a central government in Somalia since the collapse of the Somali Democratic Republic in 1991. It ...
*
Sharmarke Ali Saleh - 1775-1861 – governor of Berbera, Zeila and Tadjoura
*
Shukri Haji Ismail - Somali politician, who currently serving as the Minister of Environment and Rural Development of Somaliland
References
{{reflist
External links
africa.upenn.edu
Ethnic groups in Somalia
Muslim communities in Africa
Somali clans in Ethiopia