Kirit () is a town in the

Burao District Burao District () is a district of the Togdheer region in central Somaliland. Its capital lies at Burao. Overview The district is home to some of the largest livestock markets, known in Somali as ''seylad'', in the Horn of Africa, with as many as ...

, in the

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 ...

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 ...

. The town is 92 km southeast 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 ...

, the regional capital. It located on the road connecting

and

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 ...

. It belonged to the Saraar region, which was temporarily established in Somaliland. The town is home to a fort, constructed by the

Dervishes Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from ) in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity (''tariqah''), or more narrowly to a religious mendicant, who chose or accepted material poverty. The latter usage is found particularly in Persi ...

led by

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, ...

History

The

Isaaq The Isaaq (, , ''Banu Ishaq'') is a major Somali clans, Somali clan. It is one of the largest Somali clan families in the Horn of Africa, with a large and densely populated traditional territory. The Isaaq people claim in a traditional legend ...

clan expanded into traditional

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 ...

territory to the east. This expansion was led primarily by the Habr Je’lo subclan. The clan boundary between the Habr Je'lo and the Dhulbahante during the 19th century was traditionally in ''Laba Garday'', a pass in the Buurdhaab mountain chain situated between

War Idaad War Idaad, also known as Wandad, Waridad, or Waridud is a town in Aynabo District, in the Sool region of Somaliland. In 2008, the surrounding villages were combined and promoted to "War Idaad District", and several more surrounding districts wer ...

and

Wadamago Wadamago () is a historic town in Aynabo District, in the Sool region of Somaliland. Etymology The name Wadamago () stems from the phrase ''Wadaamo go, meaning ''wadaan breaker'' in Somali. A wadaan is a hand made bucket that is made up of ...

. The Dhulbahante had previously inhabited just east of Burao. The Habr Je'lo took advantage of the Dhulbahante's weakness after the defeat of the Dervish movement to conquer much of their important wells and grazing grounds. The Habr Je'lo subsequently expanded into and beyond the Saraar plain and the Ain Valley (which includes Kirit), pushing the Dhulbahante southwards towards 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 ...

Recent history

In August 2016, Somaliland's Minister of Third Country Resettlement, Minister of Education, and Minister of Livestock visited Kirit. In March 2017, a major drought caused residents of nearby Indhodeeq and other areas to evacuate to Kirit. Kirit was also affected. In August 2017,

Muse Bihi Abdi Musa Bihi Abdi (, ; born 16 June 1948) is a Somaliland politician and former military officer who served as the 5th President of Somaliland from 2017 to 2024. During the 1970s, he served as a pilot in the Somali Air Force under the Siad Barr ...

, a candidate for president of Somaliland, visited Kirit. In December 2017, Saraar police in Somaliland seized alcohol imported from Ethiopia in Kirit.

Natural Environment

Collared lark is present along the road southward from between Kirit and Oog.

Dibatag The dibatag (''Ammodorcas clarkei''), or Clarke's gazelle, is a medium-sized slender antelope native to Ethiopia and Somalia. Though not a true gazelle, it is similarly marked, with long legs and neck. It is often confused with the gerenuk du ...

used to inhabit the area, but has not been seen recently.

Demographics

In 2019 Kirit had an estimated population of 10,345.

References

Populated places in Togdheer {{Somaliland-geo-stub

History

Recent history

Natural Environment

Demographics

See also

References