The Osman Mahmoud, (;

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

: عثمان محمود) are a Somali sub-clan part of the

Majeerteen The Majeerteen, (, ; also spelled Majerteen, Macherten, Majertain, or Mijurtin) alternately known as Mohammed Harti, are a Somali sub-clan part of the Harti branch of the Darod, Darod clan. Traditionally, they inhabit extensive territories in ...

Harti Harti () is a Somali clan that traces its lineage back to Saleh Abdi Harti. They are a sub-clan of the larger Darod clan. Notable sub-clans within Harti include the Majeerteen, Warsangali, Warsengeli, Dishishe, and the Dhulbahante. They predomi ...

branch of the larger

Darod The Darod (, ) is a Somali clan. The forefather of this clan is Sheikh Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, more commonly known as Darod. The clan primarily settles the apex of the Horn of Africa and its peripheries, the Somali hinterlands adjacent ...

clan. The sub-clan has a rich tradition and history which include the sultanates of

and Hobyo.

Overview

The ''Boqor (The kingdom Family)'', or clan-head of the larger branch Mohamud Saleeban. Osman Mahmoud serves as the nominal leader of the

clan. Some of the most notable members of the Osman Mahmoud are the

Majeerteen Sultanate The Majeerteen Sultanate (, ), or Majerteen Kingdom also known as Majeerteenia and/or Migiurtinia, was a Somali kingdom centered in the Horn of Africa. Ruled by Boqor Osman Mahamuud during its golden age, the sultanate controlled the areas co ...

which was based in Baargaal, It was a historical and prominent sultanate in Somalia during its golden age in the mid-19th to early 20th century. Boqor Osman Mahamuud was one of the three prominent rulers of present-day Somalia at the turn of the 20th century. The

Sultanate of Hobyo The Sultanate of Hobyo (, ), also known as the Sultanate of Obbia,''New International Encyclopedia'', Volume 21, (Dodd, Mead: 1916), p.283. was a 19th-century Somali Sultanate in present-day northeastern and central Somalia and eastern Ethiopia ...

Yusuf Ali Kenadid Yusuf Ali Kenadid (; 1837 – 14 August 1911) was a Somali Sultan and the founder of the Sultanate of Hobyo. He was succeeded to the throne by his son Ali Yusuf Kenadid. Family Yusuf Ali Kenadid was born into the Bah Yaaqub (part of the large ...

, who ruled over what today is

Mudug Mudug () is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in north-central Somalia. The population of Mudug is 131,455 as of 2005. Overview Physiographically, Mudug is bordered to the west by Ethiopia, to the north and south by the Somali regions of Nu ...

, and his son, Osman Yuusuf Keenadiid who invented the

Osmanya Osmanya (, ), known in Somali as ''Far Soomaali'' (, "Somali writing") and in Arabic as ''al-kitābah al-ʿuthmānīyah'' (; "Osman writing"), is an alphabetic script created to transcribe the Somali language. It was invented by Osman Yusuf Ke ...

writing script.

Demographics

Territory

The Osman Mahmoud clan today primarily live in the

Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...

and Karkaar regions, making up the majority across the two regions. With Bari being the largest region in all of Somalia, the sub clan covers a lot of ground. They can also be found living in the

and

Nugaal The Nugaal () is an intermittent river Intermittent, temporary or seasonal rivers or streams cease to flow every year or at least twice every five years. Such rivers drain large arid and semi-arid areas, covering approximately a third of ...

regions in

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 ...

as well.

Bosaso Bosaso (, ), historically known as Bender Qassim is a city in the northeastern Bari province ('' gobol'') of Somalia. It is the seat of the Bosaso District. Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, the municipality serves as the region ...

and

Qardho Qardho (, ), also known as Gardo, is a city in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia, a district within the autonomous state of Puntland. History Until Somalia's Independence Qardho is one of a series of ancient settlements in northern Somalia. ...

are two cities that are heavily populated by Osman Mahamud. Bosaso, the most populous city in Puntland, is the region's commercial capital. The city has a diverse economy centred on education, government, banking, tourism, aviation, food, clothes, logistics, steel, energy, health care, hospitality, retail and technology. The area's many colleges and universities make it a regional hub of higher education, including law, medicine, engineering, business and entrepreneurship. Bosaso was first settled and ruled by the Dishiishe clan, a very close kin of Majeerteen's, in the 14th century. After disputes between the Dishiishe clan and Bah-Gareen (a sub clan of Osman Mahamud), The Osman Mahamud overthrew the leader and started to settle in the coastal city.

, one of the most ancient and history-rich cities in Somalia, is the head city for Osman Mahamud's as they make an overwhelming majority in the Karkaar capital. In the early modern period, Qardho was a part of the

(Migiurtinia), centered in Aluula. It was later incorporated into

Italian Somaliland Italian Somaliland (; ; ) was a protectorate and later colony of the Kingdom of Italy in present-day Somalia, which was ruled in the 19th century by the Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate in the north, and by the Hiraab Imamate and ...

during the early 20th century. A large population of the clan can also be found settled in

Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

, and other Khaleeji countries

Distribution and Xarig System

Due to the size of the Bari/Karkaar region and the large population of Osman Mahamud. There is a Xarig System put in place that signifies every district and the Osman Mahamud sub-clans that settle there. -Majority in the region. -Minority in the region.

Sultanates and dynasties

Majeerteen Sultanate

The Majeerteen Sultanate also known as Majeerteenia or Migiurtinia, was a Somali kingdom centered in the Horn of Africa. Ruled by Boqor Osman Mahamuud (II) during its golden age. The earliest mention of the kingdom is the 16th century. Before the famous Majeerteen Sultanate there was the Sultanate of Amaanle (Abdirahman Awe) which was overthrown and overtaken by Osman Mahamuud (I) who became the subsequent King and Sultan. It rose to prominence in the 19th century, under the reign of the resourceful Boqor (King) Osman Mahamuud(II). His Sultanate controlled Bari Karkaar, Nugaaal and also central Somalia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The polity exerted a strong centralised authority during its existence and possessed all of the organs and trappings of an integrated modern state: a functioning bureaucracy, a hereditary nobility, titled aristocrats, a state flag as well as a professional army. It was another example of the determination of the Migiurtini people to maintain a traditional and free society. The sultanate also maintained written records of their activities, which still exist. It also entered into treaties with foreign powers and exerted strong centralized authority on the domestic front. The Majeerteen Sultans have styled themselves Boqor of all Darod following the collapse of the Sultanate of Adal in the 16th century.

Sultanate of Hobyo

The Sultanate of Hobyo, also known as the Sultanate of Obbia was a 19th-century Somali kingdom in present-day northeastern and central Somalia and eastern Ethiopia. It was established in the 1870s by

Ali Yusuf Kenadid Ali Yusuf Kenadid (, ; died 1927) was a Somali Sultan and the second ruler of the Sultanate of Hobyo. History Ali Yusuf was born into a Majeerteen Darod family. His father, Sultan Yusuf Ali Kenadid, was the founder of the Sultanate of Hob ...

. Initially, Ali Yusuf Kenadid's goal was to seize control of the neighbouring Majeerteen Sultanate, which was then ruled by his cousin Boqor Osman Mahamud. However, he was unsuccessful in this endeavour, and was eventually forced into exile in

. A decade later, in the 1870s, Kenadid returned from the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...

with a band of Hadhrami

musketeer A musketeer ( ) was a type of soldier equipped with a musket. Musketeers were an important part of early modern warfare, particularly in Europe, as they normally comprised the majority of their infantry. The musketeer was a precursor to the rifl ...

s and a group of devoted lieutenants. With their assistance, he managed to overpower the local Habar Gidir clans and establish the kingdom of Hobyo in 1878. Yusuf Ali Kenadid

In the late 19th century, all extant Somali monarchs entered into treaties with one of the colonial powers, Abyssinia, Britain or Italy, In late 1888, Sultan Kenadid entered into a treaty with the

Italians Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...

, making his realm an Italian

protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over ...

. His rival Boqor Osman would sign a similar agreement vis-a-vis his own Sultanate the following year. Both rulers had signed the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist objectives, with Kenadid looking to use Italy's support in his dispute with the

i Sultan of Zanzibar over an area bordering Warsheikh, in addition to his ongoing power struggle over the Majeerteen Sultanate with Boqor Osman. In signing the agreements, the rulers also hoped to exploit the rival objectives of the European imperial powers so as to more effectively assure the continued independence of their territories

Colonial struggles

Hersi Boqor was the son of Boqor Osman Mahamuud and the heir apparent to the Sultanate of Migiurtinia. When the Italians announced their intentions to occupy Migiurtinia, Hersi Boqor united the sultanate's forces to rebel against the colonials. Under his leadership, the forces were able to slow the Italian advance which was additionally hurt by a rebellion in the hinterlands of Hobyo that required military attention. For three years the sultanate was in revolt and a number of fierce battles ensued.

Somali Republic

Somali Youth League

Osman Mahamud have had a lot of involvement with the progression of Somalia. This can be dated back to pre-independence and the formation of the

Somali Youth League The Somali Youth League (SYL, , Arabic: رابطة الشباب الصومالي, or ''Lega Somala della Gioventù''), initially known as the Somali Youth Club (SYC), was the first political party in Somalia. It played a key role in the nati ...

(SYL). SYL was the first political party in Somalia. It played the biggest role in the nation's road to

independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...

during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

occupied

and militarily administered the territory from 1941 to 1950. Faced with growing Italian political pressure inimical to continued British tenure and Somali aspirations for independence, the Somalis and the British came to see each other as allies. The first modern Somali political party, the ''Somali Youth Club'' (SYC), was subsequently established in

Mogadishu Mogadishu, locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Ocean for millennia and has ...

in 1943. It later became the Somali Youth League. SYL

Yasin Haji Osman Sharmarke, an Osman Mahamud man, founded the party in 1943. At its foundation, the party had thirteen founding members that consisted of all the major clans in Somalia, 4 Darood, 3

Hawiye The Hawiye (; ) are one of the principal and largest of the Somali clans, tracing their lineage back to Sheikh Ahmed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Uthman, also known as Sheikh Hawiye, the eponymous figure of the clan. They are considered the earliest do ...

and 3

Rahanweyn The Rahanweyn (, Northern Somali, Somali: , ), also known as the Digil and Mirifle () is a major Somali clan. It is one of the major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa, with a large territory in the densely populated fertile valleys of the Jubba ...

,2 Benadiri. All 4 of the Daarod members were Osman Mahamud including Yasin's younger brother, Dahir Haji Osman Sharmarke "''Dhagawayne''". As time went on and the party grew in numbers, so did the amount of Osman Mahamuud members. The first two women to join this party, Timiro Ukaash and Maryan Haji Osman, sister of Yasin and Dahir, played a vital role in group and were a great beacon of representation for young women in the country. In fact, Maryan went on to be the first woman to open a Islamic School in Mogadishu that is still operating to this day. Well known political figures such as Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and

Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf (, ; 1912–1984), commonly referred to as Haji Bashir,SAMIULLAH, MUHAMMAD. DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE WRITING THROUGH COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH AT SECONDARY LEVEL. Diss. UNIVERSITY OF PUNJAB, 2011. was a Somali politician. He ...

also first joined SYL and went on to emerge their ranks.

Executives

The sub-clan has made for 2 Prime Ministers and 1 Federal President. Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke was

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

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 ...

from July 12, 1960, to June 14, 1964, and President of

from July 6, 1967, until his assassination on October 15, 1969. He was also the father of Somali Prime Minister

Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke (; , ) (born 18 June 1960), popularly known as Omar Sharmarke, is a Somali diplomat and politician. From 2009 to 2010, he was the Prime Minister of Somalia. He subsequently briefly served as Somalia Somalia, ...

, who was the

Prime Minister of Somalia The prime minister of Somalia () is the head of government of Somalia. There have been 22 official prime ministers since the office was created in 1956. The first prime minister was Abdullahi Issa, who served prior to independence in the Trus ...

. from 2009 to 2010. He subsequently briefly served as

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 ...

's Ambassador to the United States in 2014. Sharmarke was re-appointed Prime Minister of Somalia in December 2014. His term ended on 1 March 2017

Somali Police Force and Somali National Army

The Somali Police Force is the national

police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

force and the main civil

law enforcement agency A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for law enforcement within a specific jurisdiction through the employment and deployment of law enforcement officers and their resources. The most common type of law enforcement ...

. It served from 1960 to 1991 as one of the principal organs of the

Somali Armed Forces The Somali Armed Forces are the military forces of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Headed by the president as commander-in-chief, they are constitutionally mandated to ensure the nation's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. I ...

and upon reorganisation distanced itself away from the Armed Forces. While organised at a national level, each arm reports to a county police authority, which in turn divides its force by local Police Divisions, headquartered at local police stations; the police force was later reconstituted at the start of the 21st century. Cadde Muse Modena Academy

Mohamud Muse Hirsi, commonly known as Adde Muse, was a former general in the

of long-time Somali president Mohamed Siad Barre. Adde Muse, the grandson of Hersi Boqor and great-grandson of Boqor Osman, was one of the first two Somali graduates of the internationally renowned Modena Military Academy. From 1963-'65, He served as Secretariat to The Chief of Military Forces. 1965-'67, Chairman of Horseed political party. 1970-'72, Commander of the 21st Division, Somali National Army. 1972 –'73 Chief of Training, Somali Military Forces. Adde later became a local and state governor in northern Somalia before the 1991 outbreak of the

Somali Civil War The Somali Civil War (; ) is an List of ongoing armed conflicts, ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed ...

. He also served as a military attaché to

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

during the mid to late 1970s. After his stint in China, he later relocated to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

in 1979. Mohamed Muse Hirsi passed 8 February 2017 in the UAE. He was 79 years of age. President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke portrait gifted President to John F

President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke portrait gifted President to John F

Siad Barre Regime

President Abdirashid Sharmarke assassination

On October 15, 1969, while paying a visit to the northern town of

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 ...

, Somalia's then President

Abdirashid Ali Shermarke Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke (, ) (8 June 1919 – 15 October 1969), was the first Prime Minister of Somalia from 12 July 1960 to 14 June 1964 and the second President of Somalia from 6 July 1967, until his assassination on October 15, 1969.

was shot dead by a policeman in his security team. His assassination was quickly followed by a military

coup d'état A coup d'état (; ; ), or simply a coup , is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to powe ...

on October 21, 1969 (the day after his funeral), in which the Somali Army and police force seized power without encountering armed opposition — essentially a bloodless takeover. The putsch was spearheaded by Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, who at the time commanded the army. For refusing to support Barre's seizure of power, numerous political figures were imprisoned. Among these were General Mohamed Abshir Muse of the Osman Mahmoud and

Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed (, ‎; 15 December 1934 – 23 March 2012), was a Somali politician and former military official who served as the first President of Puntland from 1998 to 2004. He also played a key role in establishing the Transitional ...

of Omar Mahmoud. They and many others of political power were imprisoned for several years by the new military regime.

1978 coup d'etat attempt

The 1978 Somali coup d'état attempt was a violent

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

coup attempt that took place in

(then

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 ...

) on 9 April 1978, against the regime of President Siad Barre. The United States Central Intelligence Agency estimated that the coup. The coup attempt was staged by a group of disgruntled Army officers, led by Colonel Mohamed Osman Irro, in the aftermath of the disastrous

Ogaden War The Ogaden War, also known as the Ethio-Somali War (, ), was a military conflict between Somali Democratic Republic, Somalia and derg, Ethiopia fought from July 1977 to March 1978 over control of the sovereignty of the Ogaden region. Somalia ...

against

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 ...

(then ruled by the Mengistu-led

Derg The Derg or Dergue (, ), officially the Provisional Military Administrative Council (PMAC), was the military junta that ruled Ethiopia, including present-day Eritrea, from 1974 to 1987, when they formally "Civil government, civilianized" the ...

). The war was initiated by Siad Barre, who had himself come into power a decade earlier in the 1969 Somali coup d'état. A United States

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...

(CIA) memorandum written the following month speculated that the coup was in response to Barre ordering the arrest and execution of officers that participated in the Ogaden War. The officers believed that Barre had intentionally used troops from other

clans A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...

as "cannon fodder" while officers from his own

Marehan The Marehan (, ) is a Somali clan, which is part of one of the largest Somali clan families, the Darod. The clan are the largest tribe in the Jubaland state and make the majority of the Gedo, Middle Juba and Lower Juba states, some major cities ...

clan were given safer orders. The report concluded that the officers involved in the c The coup was launched on 9 April 1978. The bulk of the fighting concluded within the day. Gunfire broke out at the village of Afgoy, south of the capital

, and small-arms fire and explosions were heard on the outskirts of the capital. The coup was originally planned to start in

Hargeisa Hargeisa ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Somaliland, a ''List of states with limited recognition, de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still considered internationally to be part of Somalia. It is also th ...

, but Barre likely knew of the attempt in advance and was able to disrupt the coup before it launched, as well as position forces loyal to himself in the capital. The CIA estimated that the coup involved around 24 officers, 2,000 soldiers, and 65 tanks oup "were motivated at least as much by long-standing ethnic animosities toward Barre as by disenchantment with his regime in the aftermath of the Ogaden debacle". Following the failed coup, 17 alleged ringleaders were executed. Barre used the coup as justification to

purge In history, religion and political science, a purge is a position removal or execution of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, another, their team leaders, or society as a whole. A group undertaking such an ...

members of the clans involved in the coup from government and military positions. 12 Majeerteen clansmen were summarily executed by

firing squad Firing may refer to: * Dismissal (employment), sudden loss of employment by termination * Firemaking, the act of starting a fire * Burning; see combustion * Shooting, specifically the discharge of firearms * Execution by firing squad, a method of ...

along with 5 soldiers of other clans including

, Issaq, and others. Of the Majeerteen soldiers put to death, 5 of them hailed from Omar Mahmoud including Irro, 4 of Osman Mahmoud, 1 Isse Mahmoud and 1 Nuh Jibril. Logo of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front

SSDF

One of the plotters, Lieutenant Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, escaped to Ethiopia and founded an anti-Siad Barre organization initially called the Somali Salvation Front (SSF; later the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, SSDF), initiating the

Somali Rebellion The Somali Rebellion was the start of the Somali Civil War that began in the 1970s and resulted in the collapse of the Somali Democratic Republic in 1991. The rebellion effectively began in 1978 following a failed coup d’état and Presiden ...

and eventually the

. Somali Salvation Democratic Front, was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization in

. Founded in 1978 by several army officers, it was the first of several opposition groups dedicated to ousting the authoritarian regime of Mohamed Siad Barre. After the fall of the Barre regime, the SSDF (based largely in northeastern Somalia) was divided in two factions. Mohamed Abshir Musa controlled the political wing while Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed led the armed wing from 1991 to 1998. There was a brief leadership struggle between the two parties, with Abdullahi Yusuf garnering the support of former military officials and Mohamed Abshir Muse the support from politicians associated with the civilian government of the 1960s.

Puntland

Establishment of the Federal State of Puntland

Following the outbreak of the

in 1991, a home-grown constitutional conference was held in

Garoowe Garowe (, ,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 ...

to its west, Puntland is not trying to obtain international recognition as a separate nation. However, both regions have one thing in common: they base their support upon clan elders and their organizational structure along lines based on clan relationships and

kinship In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...

. However, a key difference was that Puntland was formed as a descendant-based entity unlike in Somaliland. The state was established as a "homeland" for the

community of Northern Somalia, whereby the Majeerten were deemed as the "chief architects" of the entity. Since its establishment in 1998, Puntland has also been in territorial disputes with Somaliland over the Sool,

Sanaag Sanag (, ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in north eastern Somaliland.Regions of Somalia
Sa ...

and Ayn regions.

Jama Ali Jama and Abdullahi Yusuf

In November 2001, traditional elders elected Osman Mahamud ex-colonel, Jama Ali Jama, as the new Puntland President. Jama was a colonel in the Somali National Army from prior to the Barre regime to the mid-70s, promoted to chief ideologue of

socialism Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

in the

Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...

by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. Yusuf refused to accept the elders' decision on Jama as president, and in December 2001, he seized by force the town of Garowe, reportedly with Ethiopian support. In early May, Yusuf seized Bosaso and controlled Puntland in general. Forces loyal to Puntland president Jama Ali Jama, led by Adde Muse, withdrew from Bosaso without a fight to avoid the image of conflict between one clan/family in the public eye. Both Yusuf and Jama continued to claim the presidency, and there were continued efforts to resolve the conflict at year's end. A ban on political parties in Puntland remained in place.

President Adde Muse administration

After Abdullahi Yusuf's second term came to an end, he was succeeded by his vice president Mohamed Hashi who hailed from the Dhulbahante clan. After serving just over two months, Hashi lost his re-election bid to Mohamed Muse Hirsi. In March 2005, President Muse began an ambitious plan to build an airport in Puntland commercial capital, Bosaso project which is now complete and referred to as Bender Qassim International Airport. In April 2007, Muse held meetings with Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the crown prince and deputy ruler of

Ras al-Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah (; ), often referred to its initials RAK, is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the U.A.E. The city had a population of 191,753 in 2025, and is the sixth-most populous city in UAE after Dubai, Abu ...

in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

(UAE), where the two leaders signed an agreement on a deal for setting up of a dedicated livestock quarantine facility to facilitate the import of

livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

from Somalia to the UAE. In October 2008, Muse also signed a Dh170 million agreement with

Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...

's Lootah Group to support the construction of an airport, seaport and free zone in the coastal city of Bosaso. Muse indicated that "I believe that when we finish all these projects our people will benefit by getting good health services, education and overall prosperity.

President Said Abdullahi Dani administration

The Puntland parliament elected a new president on January 8, 2019 in a hotly contested presidential election. Former Federal Minister for Planning and International Cooperation Said Abdullahi Deni and Ahmed Elmi Karash were elected as President and Vice-President of Puntland, respectively, on Tuesday. Deni won 35 out of 66 votes from regional lawmakers in the third, and last round , defeating 20 other candidates. His closest challenger, General Asad Osman Abdullahi, former Puntland spy chief, received 31 votes. The new president, 52, is widely known for his role in education in

where he helped establish schools and universities. In 2017 he mounted an unsuccessful run for president of Somalia. Deni campaigned on promoting economic growth and fighting corruption in the relatively peaceful Somali region. “A new chapter has opened for this region, a chapter of unity and brotherly relations among Somalis,” the new president said. Puntland's outgoing president, Abdiwali Mohamed Ali, lost in the first round of the election with only eight votes. On January 8, 2024, Said Abdullahi Deni was re-elected as president of Puntland. He was voted in by 45 out of the 66 members of Parliament. He is the first president in Somalia to be re-elected in Somalia's nascent 64 year history.

Clan tree

There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures and many smaller lineages are omitted. * Omar Mahmoud Saleban * Isse Mahmoud Saleban *Osman Mahmoud Saleban **Idris Osman (''Bah-Gareen'') **Hussein Osman (''Bah-Gareen'') **Ahmed Osman (''Bah-Gareen'') **Yusuf Osman ***Abdirihiin Yusuf ***Dudub Yusuf (''Bah-Leelkase'') ***Dini Yusuf (''Bah-Leelkase'') ***Mohamed Yusuf ****Aamir Mohamed (''Baha-Dubays)'' ****Elmi Mohamed (''Baha-Dubays)'' ****Ismail Mohamed (''Baha-Dubays)'' ****Muuse Mohamed ****Omar Mohamed *****Samatar Omar *****Guleed Omar *****Yusuf Omar ''(Bah-ararsame'') *****Sultan Ali Omar ******Yusuf Sultan ******Dalal Sultan ******Muse Sultan ******Mohamed Sultan *******Farah Mohamed *******Yusuf Ali ********Nur Yusuf ''(Bah-Isxul)'' ********Muse Yusuf ''(Bah Isxul)'' ********Samatar Yusuf ''(Bah-Isxul)'' ********Ugaaryahan Yusuf ''(Bah-Isxul)'' ********Said Yusuf ''(Bah-Dubays)'' ********Hassan Yusuf ''(Bah-Dubays)'' ********Mahamoud Yusuf (Hawadane) *********Ugaaryahan Mahamoud ''(Bah-Dhulbahante)'' *********Liiban Mahamoud ''(Bah-Dhulbahante)'' *********Cigale Mahamoud ''(Bah-Dhulbahante)'' *********Hirsi Mahamoud ''(Bah-Dhulbahante)'' *********Hussein Mahamoud ''(Bah-Yacquub)'' *********Hassan Mahamoud ''(Bah-Yacquub)'' *********Shirwac Mahamoud ''(Bah-Yacquub)'' *********Waceys Mahamoud ''(Bah-Yacquub)'' *********Nuh Mahmoud ''(Bah-Yacquub)'' *********Cumar Mahamoud ''(Bah-Yacquub)'' *********Warfa Mahamoud ''(Bah-Dir Rooble)'' *********Guled Mahmoud ''(Bah-Dir Rooble)'' *********Samatar Mahamoud ''(Bah-Dir Rooble)'' *********Mohamed Mahamoud ''(Bah-Dir Rooble)''

Prominent figures

* * Ilhan Omar, first Somali-American legislator in the US * Yasin Haji Osman Sharmarke, founder and important figure in the

(SYL) * Fartun Abdulkadir Shabac, early childhood educator *

, first Prime Minister and second President of Somalia * Haji Muse Boqor, son of Boqor Osman and first Minister of Interior. Somalia's president-elect following President Sharmarke's assassination * Hussein Samatar, Somali American politician, banker and community organizer. Founder of African Development Center * Boqor Burhaan Boqor Muuse, the 34th Majerteen king *

, first President of Somali National Assembly (1 July 1960), Minister of Health and Labor (1966-1967) Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf2

, Prime Minister of Somalia and son of Abdirashid Sharmarke * Mohamud Muse Hersi, former President of Puntland * Yaasiin Cismaan Keenadiid, author of the Somali Dictionary and founding member of the Somali Youth League * Jama Ali Jama, Somali army colonel and former President of Puntland * Faysal Ahmed, Somali actor, co-starred in hit movie ''Captain Phillips'' * Hirsi Magan Isse, scholar, leader of the Somali revolution *

, founder of the

, one of the three prominent rulers of present-day

at the turn of the 20th century *

, Somali ruler. He was the second

Sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...

of the

* Hersi Boqor, anti-colonial leader of

forces, was heir to his father's throne *

Osman Yusuf Kenadid Osman Yusuf Kenadid (; ; 1889 – 14 August 1972) was a Somalis, Somali poet, writer, teacher and ruler. Born in Ceel Huur in 1889, he went on to create the Osmanya alphabet for writing Somali language, Somali. He died on 31 August 1972 in Mogad ...

, inventor of the Osmanya writing script * Jawahir Ahmed, Somali-American model, winner of Miss Africa Utah pageant representing

* Saida Haji Bashir Ismail, former Finance Vice-Minister in the TNG (2000-2004) and daughter of Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf * Said Abdullahi Dani, current president of

, former Minister of Planning of

Ayaan Hirsi Ali Ayaan Hirsi Ali (; born 13 November 1969) is a Dutch and American writer, activist, conservative thinker and former politician. She is a critic of Islam and an advocate for the rights and self-determination of Muslim women, opposing forced mar ...

, first Somali-European legislator and critic of Islam * Hodan Said Isse, former first lady of Puntland * Asad Osman Abdullahi (Diyano), Chief of the Somali Police Force * Asho Yasin Ali Keenadiid, Colonel and head of the Somali Military Hospital and the first female soldier to train with 50 Somali soldiers in Russia * Marwo Timiro Cukaash, one of the founders of SYL and the ''first'' person to be arrested by the colonial forces for "membership in a political party counter to the European state.

References

Notes

{{Majeerteen clans Majeerteen