Family and clan
Habar Jeclo (Habr Je'lo, Isaaq)
The Habar Jeclo (Habr Je'lo) are an Isaaq clan in the Habar Habuusheed line, descended by tradition from Muuse Sheikh Isaaq. Abbink lists them as (Habr) Tolja'elo. Their best-known sections are the Maxamed Abokor, Muuse Abokor, Samane Abokor, Cumar and Reer Dood. The EUAA says they live mainly in Togdheer, with others in Sanaag and Sool.
Name and family tree
The Habar Jeclo are a Somali clan, written Habr Je'lo or Habar Jeelo in English. All the sources used here place them in the Isaaq clan family.
| Source | Line it gives |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Isaaq > Habr Habuusheed > (Habr) Tolja'elo, with Ahmed, Muuse, Ibrahim (Sambuur) and Mahammed (Ibraan) (Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 33) |
| ACLED 2025 | Isaaq > Habar Jeclo, with about 27 coded sub-groups (ACLED clan actor list, September 2025) |
| EUAA 2025 | "Habar Je'lo (also known as Habar Jeclo)" (EUAA 2025, Togdheer) |
| Wikipedia (backup) | Muuse, son of Sheikh Isaaq, in the Habar Habuusheed group (Wikipedia, Habr Je'lo, backup) |
| Somali Wikipedia (backup) | "Muuse Sheekh Isxaaq ibnu Axmad", one of the largest Isaaq clans (Somali Wikipedia, Habar Jeclo, backup) |
Wikipedia lists the other Habar Habuusheed lines as Tol-Ja'lo (Ahmed), Sanbuur (Ibraahim) and Ibraan (Maxamed). See the Isaaq tree.
Main branches
Wikipedia gives this tree under Muuse (Wikipedia, Habr Je'lo, backup):
| Line | Groups named under it |
|---|---|
| Daauud Muuse (Reer Dood) | Rooble Da'uud and its lines |
| Jibriil Muuse > Cumar Jibriil | Cumar |
| Jibriil Muuse > Abokor Jibriil | Maxamed Abokor, Muuse Abokor and Samane Abokor |
| Maxamed Abokor | Aadan Madoobe, Yeesif (Yuusuf Maxamed) and Nuux Maxamed |
| Nuux > Cabdille Cabdalle | Allamagan, Xuseen, Liibaan, Soolomadow (Abokor, Xasan and Barre), and Faarax, whose lines include Reer Daahir and Axmed Faarax |
| Muuse Abokor | Uduruxmiin, Idiris and Cabdiraxmaan Muuse |
| Samane Abokor | Cabdulle, Muuse and Xirsi Samane |
ACLED codes many groups. They include Ahmed Farah, Ali Bare, Biciide, Imraan, Muse Abokor, Omar, Reer Yoonis, Samane, Soolomadaw, Udur Ximin and Yeesif (ACLED, September 2025).
Where they live
No census counts Somalis by clan. ACCORD notes that Somalis often claim more members than their groups have, "in order to demonstrate strength" (ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 11).
| Place | What the sources record |
|---|---|
| Togdheer | "Togdheer region is mainly inhabited by Habar Yunis and Habar Je'lo" (EUAA 2025, Togdheer) |
| Sanaag | Records name Habar Jeclo herders around El Afweyn and Ceerigaabo (EUAA 2025, Sanaag) |
| Sool | Records name Habar Jeclo around Oog and Aynabo (EUAA 2025, Sool) |
| Other areas | Wikipedia adds eastern Sahil, central Maroodi Jeex, the Somali Region of Ethiopia and Kenya (Wikipedia, backup) |
See Togdheer, Sanaag and Sool.
History on record
- 1800s. Wikipedia says Habar Jeclo groups held ports from near Siyara to Heis (Xiis), including Karin. It says they took dues for safe caravan passage at the Buur Dhaab pass (Wikipedia, backup).
- 1890s to 1920. Wikipedia names Habar Jeclo figures in early resistance to British rule, such as Haji Sudi and Deria Arale (same source). See resistance, 1890s to 1945.
- July 1945. Sheikh Bashir, of the Yeesif, led an armed rising against British officials in Burco and Ceerigaabo (same source).
- 1959 to 1960. Wikipedia says the National United Front, led by Michael Mariano, drew mainly on Habar Jeclo support (same source).
- 1984 to 1990. Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo led the Somali National Movement. Wikipedia lists him as Habar Jeclo (same source). See the Isaaq genocide, 1987 to 1989.
The poet Hadraawi and the linguist Musa Haji Ismail Galal are also listed as Habar Jeclo (same source).
Elders and customary law
Senior Somali clan leaders carry titles such as suldaan, ugaas or issim. Their role is "mainly judicial and representative" (UK Home Office, CPIN Somalia: clans, 2019, quoting EASO 2014).
The EUAA cites a report that Habar Jeclo elders endorsed the Waddani candidate before the 2024 Somaliland election (EUAA 2025, Togdheer). See xeer, Somali customary law.
In recent conflict records
The EUAA lists these conflicts, active in April 2023 to March 2025 (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1):
- Dhulbahante against Habar Jeclo, in Aynabo (Sool) and Buuhoodle (Togdheer).
- Dhulbahante against Soolomadow (Habar Jeclo), in Qorilugud, Togdheer.
- Habar Jeclo against Habar Yoonis, in Ceerigaabo and El Afweyn, Sanaag. Talks were ongoing as of March 2025.
- Habar Jeclo against Habar Awal, in Burco district.
The EUAA says the El Afweyn dispute over pasture and water has flared since 2015. ACLED recorded 14 incidents between Habar Jeclo and Habar Yoonis militias (EUAA 2025, Sanaag). Habar Jeclo and Dhulbahante groups clashed near Oog in November 2023 and in Buuhoodle district in November 2024 (EUAA 2025, Sool).
Earlier, the EASO recorded a clash near Berbera on 3 July 2020. It was between the Reer Yoonis and Axmed Faarax, both Habar Jeclo (EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021). See clan conflicts, district by district.
Where sources differ
- Name. Abbink writes (Habr) Tolja'elo for the whole group. Wikipedia uses Tol-Ja'lo for the Ahmed line only, and Habar Jeclo for Muuse.
- Lineages. Abbink lists four lines. Wikipedia gives a deep tree under Muuse. ACLED codes about 27 groups.
- History. Most history here comes from Wikipedia, a backup source.
Read more
Sources
- Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 33 · hdl.handle.net
- ACLED clan actor list, September 2025 · acleddata.com
- EUAA 2025, Togdheer · euaa.europa.eu
- Wikipedia, Habr Je'lo, backup · en.wikipedia.org
- Somali Wikipedia, Habar Jeclo, backup · so.wikipedia.org
- ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 11 · ecoi.net
- EUAA 2025, Sanaag · euaa.europa.eu
- EUAA 2025, Sool · euaa.europa.eu
- UK Home Office, CPIN Somalia: clans, 2019, quoting EASO 2014 · ecoi.net
- EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
- EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
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Where this matters
Same era
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