Sool (, ) is a disputed administrative region (gobol). It borders

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 ...

to the west,

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

to the north,

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 ...

to the south and Nugal,

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 ...

to the east. Its capital city is

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 ...

. The region is disputed by the self-declared Republic 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 ...

and

SSC-Khatumo SSC-Khaatumo (), officially known as the SSC-Khaatumo State of Somalia (), is a federal member state in northern Somalia, with its capital in Las Anod. It includes parts of the Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions (combined under the acronym "SSC") I ...

. The region is partially controlled by both polities.

History

From 1944 to 1974, the Sool region was formerly Las Anod district. It was one of three districts under British protection. The other two districts were the Burao and hargeysa districts. In 1974 most Sool was part of the larger

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 ...

region, with its capital at

Garowe Garowe (, ,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 ...

Las Anod conflict

Due to the prolonged conflict between Somaliland and Puntland, many Dhulbahante and Warsangeli living in the region did not recognize the Sool region and eastern Sanaag, as either Somaliland or Puntland. On 5 January 2023, Somaliland forces withdrew from Las Anod after mass civil unrest in the city. On October 19, the government of Somalia recognized the state of SSC-Khaatumo as a federal member. Since the defeat of Somaliland troops in the base in Goojacde, much of Sool has been under the control of SSC-Khatumo.

Demographics

The Eastern part of the Sool region is almost exclusively inhabited by

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 ...

. Michael Walls reports:

"The residents of Sool overwhelmingly hail from a single clan grouping in the form of the Dhulbahante .. Sool boasts a degree of kinship homogeneity that is rare even in the Somali Horn".

The

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 ...

clan of 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-family make up the vast majority of the population in western Sool, including the region's second largest town

Aynaba Aynaba, also spelt Ainabo, Ainaba or Aynabo (, ) is a major town in western Sool region of Somaliland as well as the administrative seat of the Aynaba District. Overview Aynaba is situated on a busy tarmac road connecting Somaliland's major cit ...

, as well as the wider

Aynaba District Aynabo District (), colloquially known as Sarar (), is a district in the northern Sool region of Somaliland. Its capital lies at Aynabo. Other settlements in the district includes Wadaamagoo, War Idaad, Berkad Ali Hersi, Godheeli, Habarihes ...

. 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 ...

sub-division 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 ...

also inhabit the western parts of

Hudun Hudun () is a historical town in the northern Sool, region of Somalia, and the seat of the Hudun District. Khatumo has effectively controlled there since around 2023. Overview Located in north west Somalia, and southeast Somaliland, Hudun lies ...

and

districts in northern Sool. The

sub-division of the

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 ...

Darod clan primarily inhabits the

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 ...

, eastern Hudun and Las Anod districts in eastern Sool. The Fiqishini sub-clan of the

Habar Gidir The Habar Gidir (Somali: Habar Gidir, Arabic: هبر جدر) is a major subclan of the Hawiye. The clan has produced some prominent Somali figures, including the first Prime Minister of Somalia Abdullahi Issa Mohamud, and Somalia's fifth Preside ...

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 ...

integrated into

Baho Nugaaled The Baho Nugaaleed the leader baho nugaaleed Khair Abdi ayaad'' (, ), is a division of Somali clan that is part of the Dhulbahante clan-family. The primary homeland of these clans include the regions of Sool and Sanaag And Dmco Doollo DDS in S ...

Dhulbahante, inhabit the area around

Adhi'adeye Adhi'adeye or Ade Adeeye ( Somali: ''Adhi Cadeeye'') is a town in the Sool region of Somalia currently under the control of Khatumo State forces. It is around 30 miles northwest of Las Anod, the regional capital of Sool. History In October ...

Districts

The Sool region consists of 4 districts: Caynabo, Xudun, Taleex and Laas Canood.

Villages

Baran __NOTOC__ Baran may refer to: * Baran (name) Places Europe * Baran, Belarus, a town * Baran, Lublin Voivodeship, a village in Poland * Baran, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, a village in Poland * Uroczysko Baran killing fields near Kąkolewnica, Pol ...

* Buqdarkayn * Darantaleh *

Higlo Higlo is a town in Burao, in the Togdheer region of Somaliland. demographics Ist totaly inhibited by the reeryoonis muse abokor Overview Higlo is situated in the Aynaba District in the western part of Sool region. Higlo is northwest of Aynab ...

Karindabaylweyn Karin Dabayl Weyn is a village in the southern Sool, Somalia roughly halfway between Weylahayd to the north, and Qoriley to the south. History Karin Dabayl Weyn (Karin Dabailwein)'s name is listed in a book published in the UK in 1951 describing ...

Maps

Somaliland-Sool Region.svg, Detailed map File:Somali Civil War Map on the 5th October 2024.svg, Military situation in Somalia and Somaliland as of December 2024

References

External links

Administrative map of Sool
{{Regions of Somaliland Regions of Somaliland