Garhajis

Lineage

The tomb of Sheikh Isaaq, ancestor of the Garhajis clan, in Maydh, Sanaag.

Sheikh Isaaq Bin Ahmed was one of the Arabian scholars that crossed the sea from Arabia to the Horn of Africa to spread Islam around 12th to 13th century. He is said to have been descended from Prophet Mohammed's daughter Fatimah. Hence the Sheikh belonged to the Ashraf or Sada, titles given to the descendants of the prophet. It is said he married two local women in Somalia that left him eight sons, one of them being Ismail (Garhajis).

Portrait of a 20 year old Habr Yunis man, 1889. Photograph by Prince Roland Bonaparte.

Medieval period (Conquest of Abyssinia)

Historically the Garhajis took part in the conquest of Abyssinia and were part of the Adal Sultanate and are mentioned in the book Futuh Al-Habash (Conquest of Abyssinia) as the Habar Magaadle along with the Habar Awal, Arap and Ayub clans. The Habar Magaadle are known for producing a historical figure known as Ahmad Girri bin Husain who was the right-hand man of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi.^[10]

Descriptions of the Garhajis by European travellers in the 1800s

Habar Yunis horsemen, Haud, 1896

Several early European travellers gave descriptions of the Garhajis clan during their travels through Somaliland in the 1800s and early 1900s. The Garhajis were described as being nomads who had a reputation of being fine warriors and who were very skilled equestrians, and were noted to be among the best horsemen and in possession of the best breed of Horses among the Somali.

Description of the Garhajis by C.J Cruttenden in the 1840s:

The Haber Gerhajis, the eldest branch of the three tribes of Ishaak, reside chiefly in the mountains to the south of berbera, whence they extend to the country of Ogahden. They are a powerful and warlike tribe, numbering many horses in addition to their flocks and herds.^[7]

Explorer Frank Linsly James, a guest of Sultan Owd (Cawad) Diiriye Sugulleh during his visit to Somaliland in 1884, described a performance he witnessed by Habr Yunis Horsemen at Burao's Togdheer River.

During our stay at Burao, the Sultan collected a great many of his people together, and twice entertained us with some well-executed and characteristic evolutions on horseback. On the first occasion some forty mounted men were collected in the Tug before our zariba; but this did not satisfy the Sultan, and he arranged a second "fantasia," in which fully two hundred warriors were engaged. It was the best and most characteristic thing of the kind I had ever seen. A procession was first formed in the river's bed, and on a given signal all dashed off, brandishing their spears and shields. Dressed in tobes of many colours, and sitting loosely on their gaily-caparisoned horses, they engaged in mimic contest with spear and shield, reining their horses upon their haunches when at full gallop, and with wild shouts flinging their spears into the air. Each warrior carried a short-handled whip with a broad raw hide thong, and with it lashed his steed unmercifully. Some of the riders went through regular circus feats, leaping from their horses when at full gallop, picking up objects thrown on the ground, and then remounting. After this had continued for some time they would gallop close to our zariba, and reining up, shout "Mort, mort" ("Welcome, welcome"), to which we replied, "Kul liban" ("Thanks").^[11]

D.G. Elliot commenting on the Garhajis during his visit to the Haud in 1896:

The Haber Yunis tribe, one of the most powerful in this part of Africa, and which could place several thousand warriors in the field. Like all of the natives of Somaliland they are nomads, wandering from place to place in search of water and pasture for their flocks and herds...The Habr Yunis warriors commenced to give an exhibition of their horsemanship, riding away singly or in pairs advancing to the attack, thrusting with the spear and guarding with the shield on which the point of the spear was received. They had fine horses, much superior to our own, and in the best condition.^[12]

According to War Historian Roy Irons, Major J.G beresford of the 7th Hussars Cavalry regiment also attested to the skill of Habar Yunis Horsemen.^[13]

"Of the Somali tribal horse, Major J.G beresford reported that the Habr Yunis, Dolbahanta and Ba Idris were the best." Roy Irons, Churchill and the Mad Mullah.^[14]

Richard Francis Burton the British explorer, gave a description of the Garhajis during his visit to Somaliland in 1855:

The Habr Gerhajis, or eldest branch of the sons of Ishak, inhabit the Ghauts behind Berberah, whence they extend for several days' march to- wards Ogadayn, the southern region. This tribe is divided into a multitude of clans. The Ismail Arrah supply the Sultan, a nominal chief like the Eesa Ugaz ; they extend from Makhar to the south of Gulays, number about 15,000, shields and are subdivided into three septs. The Musa Arrah hold the land between Gulays and the seats of the Mijjarthayn and Warsangeli tribes on the windward coast. The Ishak Arrah count 5000 or 6000 shields, and inhabit the Gulays Range.^[15]

Shermaarke Ali, governor of Berbera, Zeila and Tajoura (1833-1861)

The Habar yoonis exercised real power over Zeila and its adjacent regions and had established themselves as a coastal power, with Shermarke Ali Saleh (Musa Arreh) solidifying and consolidating his power in governing Zeila, Berbera and Tadjoura. Shermarke with the help of his clansmen usurped power from the Sharifs of Mocha, bringing back Somali rule to the northern coast. Shermarke secured the trade routes on both land and sea and fought piracy off the coast, even saving the British brig the Mary ann from pirates, which earned him the trust of the British. In 1840 he signed a treaty with the British East India Company.^[16] The Habar Yoonis also raided Bulhar coast and regularly exacted tribute from the locals.^{[17][18][19][20][21][22]}

Portrait of Sultan Abdillahi Sultan Deria (Eidagalla), the Grand Sultan of the Isaaq clans

1870s -1940s (Rayyad Wars)

During this period the Garhajis were fighting an expansionist war against the Ogaden clans and gained much new territory in the Haud region. These battles are today known as the Rayyad or Guba Wars. It was a volatile era that gave birth to some of the best known Somali poetry.

In 1874 German Explorer G.A Haggenmacher witnessed the aftermath of a battle between Habr yunis and Ogaden. He wrote:

The Habr Yunis had many wounded, but were also extremely rich in loot, the estimated number of loot was at least 10,000 camels.^[23]

In 1877 the Garhajis under the leadership of Sultan Hersi Aman conquered Daroor and subjugated the Haroun sub-clan of the Ogaden, during the battle they captured and subsequently executed their Sultan.^[24] The Habr Yunis then proceeded to expand into Doolo region and took control of watering wells, grazing land and looted thousands of camels from the Cabdille, Makahil, Ali and Haroun sub clans of the Ogaden, forcing them to leave their homeland and flee south to Hiiraan. This particular series of conquests was what initiated the famous chains of poems known as Guba in which Ali Dhuh a Daarood poet laments, and berates the Ogadenis for losing so much land and exchanges heated poems with the Ogaden and Habr Yunis.^[25][26]

Historian Siegbert Uhlig commenting on the Guba poem writes the following:

From a historical point of view Ali dhuhs poem explicitly details the large gains in traditionally Ogaden territory and wells, and the looting of Ogaden camels by the Isaq. He details the scatterring of the Ogaden clan, their forced migration southwards seeking refuge in the feverish river valleys, and even turning to hunting and farming- measures that were again considered very shameful usually only undertaken by slaves and low-caste Somalis and utterly demeaning for the once great pastoral Ogaden clan. The Ogaden, Ali recounts, have been forced to accept refuge with the clans that defeated them, especially the Habr Yunis, and cannot take revenge. The Isaq are portrayed as particularly callous and shameful in the way they parade looted Ogaden camels in front of their previous owners. Even in translation it is a very evocative poem".^[25]

The Habr Yunis advance into Ogaden territory was eventually halted by the intervention of the British protectrate authorities with assistance from the Ethiopian Empire, who considered the Ogaden their subjects and whose safety was their priority. In one incident the Habar Yunis looted 1330 camels from the Ogaden, but were pressured by the British and the Ethiopians to return the camels to their previous owners. The Habr Yunis obliged and promised to desist in their raids, but despite their promise they continued to successfully raid the Ogadens unhindered up until the British ceded the Haud to Ethiopia.^[27][28][29]

Dervish period

The Garhajis clan played a prominent role in the inception of the Dervish movement and its subsequent struggle against the British Empire. Among the prominent members of the Dervish was the Sultan of the Habar Yunis, Nur Ahmed Aman, whose letter to Mohammed Abdullah Hassan initiated the Dervish rebillion. Nur was the principle agitator that rallied the dervish behind his anti-French Catholic Mission campaign that would become the cause of the dervish uprise.^[30]

The news of the incident that sparked the Dervish rebellion and the 21 years disturbance according to the consul-general James Hayes Sadler was either spread or as he alleged was concocted by Sultan Nur of the Habr Yunis. The incident in question was that of a group of Somali children that were converted to Christianity and adopted by the French Catholic Mission at Berbera in 1899. Whether Sultan Nur experienced the incident first hand or whether he was told of it is not clear but what is known is that he propagated the incident in the Tariqa at Kob Fardod in June 1899 precipitating the religious rebellion that later morphed into the Somali Dervish.^[31]

Sultan Nur leading his Dervish clansmen participated in numerous battles against the British. These confrontations took place at Samala, Ferdidin, Erigo, Daratoleh and Gumburu. In 1899 Sultan Nur was among the top five (Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, Haji Sudi, Deria Arrale and Deria Gure) wanted leaders of the movement.^[32]

Before dispatching forces to face the Dervish at Samala, Consul-General Hayes Salder made the following instructions to the overall commander of the forces Eric John Eagles Swayne:

"In the unlikely event of the: Mullah offering to surrender, in his case and that of the Following: Haji Sudi, Deria Arale, Deria Gure Only an unconditional surrender should be accepted no guarantee of any kind to future treatment been given. Sultan Nur the , sultan of the Habr Yunis, may be guaranteed his life." J. Hayes-Sadler, His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, Somali Coast Protectorate. Aden April 11, 1901."^[33]

Despite confronting Nur in many battles the British failed in their mission to capture or kill him. Gabriel Ferrand, the Vice-Council of France following these events observed that:

"Neither the Mahdi nor his chief advisor Ahmed Warsama, better known under the name Haji Sudi, nor the Sultan Nur, leader of the Habr Younis clan were killed or captured. The optimism of Colonel Sadler and Lieutenant-Colonel Swayne in the latest reports relating to military operations is inexplicable." ^[34]

In 1904 the Dervish state entered into talks with Italy and both parties agreed to sign a peace treaty, this treaty came to be known as the Pestalozza agreement.^[35] Sultan Nur and his brother Geele Ahmed were among the signatories of the Pestalozza agreement between Italy and the Dervish state in 1905. In the original Arabic document the following signatures appear - sultan Nur Ahmed (the chief dervish sultan) and his brother Geele Ahmed (Kila Ahmed), Ugas Diria Arabe and Ugas Issa Farek.^[36][37]

Taleh forts and tombs of dervish Somaliland 1930

The last intelligence report mention of Sultan Nur in the Italian archives was in 1907.^[38] After the death of sultan Nur 1907/1908 in the dervish camp at Taleh his son Dolal sultan Nur ascended the sultanate in the dervish camp.^[39]

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.^[40]

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 one Soldan 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 whose names my Somalis did not know. The most southerly tomb is that of a man 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 base of one side."^[40]

The Habr Yunis sub-clans that joined the Dervish were the Musa Ismail (Gadwein), the Sa'ad Yunis and sections of Sultan Nur's own sub-clan, the Hersi Osman. The Gadwein Dervishes who were located in coastal Sanaag and the towns of Midisho and Jidali created complications for the Warsengeli Sultanate, who they regularly raided. The Warsengeli who were at that time allied with the British called for their assistance. Consequently, in 1912 the British sent the warship HMS Philomel and shelled the Gadwein Dervishes, pushing them from the coast and inland towards Las Dureh.^{[41][42][43][44]} The Dervish forces of Sanaag were supplied with arms and munitions by two Habr Yunis men of the Musa Arreh clan, namely, Haji Hirsi of Maydh and Bulhan Ali, they both operated with in Yemen, the former being stationed at Mukalla and the latter at Aden. Both were Ottoman agents and were accused by Sultan Mohamoud Ali Shire of instigating attacks on Las Khorey.^[45] Among the prominent Sa'ad Yunis Dervish was Haji Yusuf, popularly known as Taminlaaye, he was in charge of the Sanaag division of the Dervish army. The British put a bounty on his head and his name appeared in the 1919 most wanted Dervish list published by the British, alongside him appeared the names of other Isaaq clan members such as Haji Sudi, Ibrahim Boghl, Ibraahim Gioode and Deria Arale.^[46]

Though some sections of the Garhajis supported the Dervish movement at the time of its inception, like many other Dervish allied clans they became disillusioned with the movement towards the end. After the Bombing campaign of the Taleh fort and the Dervish retreat into Ethiopia, Tribal Chief Haji Mohammad Bullaleh (Haji the Hyena) who hailed from the Rer Ainanshe clan of the Habr Yunis, commanded a 3000 strong army that consisted of Habr Yunis, Habar Jeclo and Dhulbahante 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.^{[47][48][44][49]} The Garhajis, especially the Habr Yunis, had a hand in the birth and the eventual demise of the Dervish state.

The Dervish era was one of the most violent and bloodiest periods in British Somaliland, a third of the population had been estimated to have died either through warfare or its indirect effects. Colonial Administarator Douglas Jardine described it as a holocaust.

British colonial administrator Sir Douglas Jardine:

The various sections of the Habr Toljaala were continually at each other's throats. Similarly, the Aidegalla split into two main sections and carried on a desultory warfare with one another. The eastern Habr Yunis came into frequent collision with the western sections of the tribe ; and the tribe as a whole attempted to recuperate its strength by a large and successful raid upon the Ogaden, which culminated in an enquiry by a British officer in Abyssinian territory, as the result of which the Habr Yunis were called upon to return a balance of no less than 1,330 camels to the Ogaden. As might be expected, the coastal Habr Awal were an easy prey to the more virile tribes of the interior until, emboldened by adversity, they retaliated by waylaying and looting traders' caravans as they passed to and from the coast. In this holocaust, in which it is estimated that not less than one-third of the male population of Somaliland perished, there was no tribe that did not suffer either from internal schisms or from attacks by their neighbours. But the most pitiful lot of all fell to certain sections of the Dolbahanta. Ousted from their ancestral grazing grounds by the Mullah's advance and bereft of all their stock, the remnants wandered like veritable Ishmaelites in the Ishaak country, deprived of asylum and almost of access to the coast, owing to the inveterate hatred which the Ishaak harbour for the Darod.^[50]

The shooting of Captain Allan Gibb DSO DCM, 1922

Captain Allan Gibb

Sections of the Habr Yunis once again clashed with the British in 1922 after a tax was imposed upon them at Burao. This resulted in the Baho Ainanshe and Rer Sugulleh sub-clans revolting in opposition to the tax and clashing with other sections of the Habr Yunis and the British colonial government. This resulted in a shoot out in which Captain Allan Gibb, a Dervish war veteran, was shot and killed. The British as retaliation burnt down Burao and requested from Sir Winston Churchill, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, to send troops from Aden and Airplane bombers in order to bomb the wells and livestock of the Rer Ainanshe clans and quell any further rebellion.^[51] After the killing of Gibb all Europeans entered the Burao fort, which at the time was occupied by the Native Somali B Company of the Somaliland Camel Corps. The Hargeisa Camel Corps was wired and informed of the incident and ordered to send troops to Burao. The Indian Sepoys having been sent back to the sub-continent forced the Government to rely on the Somali B company, but when ordered to open fire on the hostile Habr Yunis clansmen, they declined. The British had to resort to sending Indian troops from Aden as they could not trust the native Somalis. Instead The B company was tasked with collecting the fine imposed on the Rer Ainanshe. B company was eventually disbanded and replaced with the more obedient Yao Askaris from the 1st King's African Rifles.^{[52][53][54][55]}

Telegram from Sir Geoffrey Archer, Governor of British Somaliland to Sir Winston Churchill the Secretary of State for the Colonies:

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 dissapered 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.^[56]

Sir Winston Churchill reporting on the Burao incident at the House of Commons:

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.^[57]

Sir Geoffrey Archer reporting on situation after RAF mission:

Effect of Areoplane demonstration on country has been electrical, and its unlikely now that i shall require troops from Aden as an emergency measure..One section of Rer Ainanshe has surrenderd 450 camels. Fine will be completed in a few days. It is realised that the surest way to effect capture is to mark them down and arrest them ourselves. With this end in view names have not been divulged.^[55]

Bomber planes were flown over Burao and the Haud, while watering wells that were essential to the Habr Yunis nomads were blocked by the Camel corps. The Rer Ainanshe clans isolated and without support eventually acquiesced, agreeing to pay the fine but they refused to identify and apprehend the accused individuals. Most of the men responsible for Gibb's shooting were never caught and evaded punishment. Captain Gibb was among the most respected and valued British Officers in British Somaliland, he fought during the Dervish wars and operated a Maxim Gun, and was credited with capturing Taleh fort in 1920.^[58][55]

Somali civil war and the Somali National Movement

The Somali National Movement (SNM) was a 1980s–1990s rebel group. The SNM was organized in London, England, on April 6, 1981 by Hasan Adan Wadadid (Faarah Ainanshe) a former Somali diplomat and he stated that the group's purpose was to overthrow the Siaad Barre regime.^[59] 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 Siaad Barre government.

Members of the Garhajis clan made up a significant portion of the leadership and soldiers of the SNM. Garhajis 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 Kodbur ( Eidagale) and Operation Mandheera led by Mohamed Hashi Diriye lixle (Musa Abdallah) where they successfully freed hundreds of Isaaq political prisoners whose executions were imminent.^[60]

Under the leadership of Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur (Musa Arreh) the SNM carried out a successful invasion of Northern Somalia overthrowing the Communist regime and establishing the democratic state of Somaliland. Abdirahman was sworn in as Somaliland's first president.

Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur, first President of Somaliland

List of Garhajis SNM leaders:^[61][62]

• Abdirahman Tuur
• Abdulkadir Koosaar
• Mohamed Hashi Lihle
• Ibarhim Koodbur
• Mohamed Ali
• Haragwaafi
• Madah-diin
• Wiyilfurato
• Omar Aseyr
• Ahmed Mire
• Dhancade
• General Hassan Kayd