Family and clan
Habar Yoonis (Habr Yunis, Garxajis, Isaaq)
The Habar Yoonis (Habr Yunis) are an Isaaq clan of the Garxajis, with the Ciidagale as their brother line. Their two main lines are Cali Siciid and Carre Siciid. The EUAA says they mainly live in Togdheer with the Habar Jeclo, and in western Sanaag including Ceerigaabo. Their sultans come from the Reer Ainanshe.
Name and family tree
The Habar Yoonis are a clan of the Garxajis (Habar Magaadle), part of the Isaaq. Their brother line is the Ciidagale. The name is also written Habr Yunis and Habar Yonis.
| Source | Line it gives |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Isaaq > Habr Magaadleh / Habr Garhaji > Habr Yunis > Sa'ad (Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 32) |
| ACLED 2025 | Isaaq > Habar Yoonis, with many sub-groups (ACLED clan actor list, September 2025) |
| EUAA 2025 | "the Habar Yunis clan (Garhajis, Isaaq)" (EUAA 2025, Togdheer) |
| Wikipedia (backup) | Sa'id, son of Isma'il (Garhajis), son of Sheikh Isaaq (Wikipedia, Habar Yoonis, backup) |
See the Isaaq tree.
Main branches
Abbink lists these groups (Abbink 2009, p. 32):
| Line | Groups named under it |
|---|---|
| Sa'ad Yuunis > 'Ali | Logh, Beleh and Salah |
| Sa'ad Yuunis > 'Arreh | Khalil, Gamba, Dandan, Kul, Isahaq, Isma'il and Musa |
| A second set | Gunbuur, Reer 'Abdi Hirsi, Reer Waid, Reer Sugulle, Kharrab and Muuse (Isma'iil, 'Alle and 'Abdalle) |
| A third set | Isaaq and 'Ali |
Wikipedia gives a deeper tree (Wikipedia, Habar Yoonis, backup):
| Line | Groups named under it |
|---|---|
| Cali Siciid | Looge Cali, Baale Cali and Xaaji Salaax Cali |
| Carre Siciid > Isxaaq Carre | Khaliil, Qaasim and Cabdalle Isxaaq |
| Carre Siciid > Muuse Carre | Xasan, Ibraahim and Damal Muuse |
| Carre Siciid > Ismaaciil Carre | Sacad Yoonis, Muuse Ismaaciil (Turwa, Urursuge) and Cabdalla Ismaaciil |
| Cabdalla Ismaaciil | Idarays, Muuse Cabdalla and Cumar Cabdalla, down to Xirsi Cismaan and the Reer Mumin |
The Somali Wikipedia page copies this tree in English (Somali Wikipedia, Habar Yoonis, backup). ACLED codes sub-groups such as Sacad Yoonis, Muse Ismail, Muse Carre, Cali Siciid and Urursuge. It also codes Muse Turwa, Jibriil Turwa, Reer Wayd, Cabdalle Xamud and Bah Dhulbahante (ACLED 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) |
| Western Sanaag | The EUAA says the west of Sanaag, "including Ceerigaabo, is predominantly home to the Habar Yunis" (EUAA 2025, Sanaag) |
| Woqooyi Galbeed | The EUAA names the Habar Awal, Habar Yunis and Idagalle as the majority (EUAA 2025, Wogoyi Galbeed) |
| Hargeisa | The EUAA says the Garhajis (Ciidagale and Habar Yonis) populate Mahamuud Haybe and parts of Gacan Libaah district (EUAA Country Focus 2025) |
| Ethiopia and Kenya | Wikipedia places them in the Degehbur and Wardheer zones, and in Kenya's Isahakia community (Wikipedia, Habar Yoonis, backup) |
See Togdheer, Sanaag and Woqooyi Galbeed.
History on record
- 1500s. Wikipedia says the Futuh al-Habasha names the Habar Magaadle in the wars of Imam Ahmad (Wikipedia, Habar Yoonis, backup). See Imam Ahmad and Adal.
- 1700s and 1800s. It says the Habar Yoonis broke from the Isaaq sultanate and formed their own, under Sugulle son of Ainanshe Hersi. It says Sultan Diiriye Sugulle ruled from Wadhan, near the Sheikh pass (same source).
- 1841 to 1845. It says Sharmarke Ali Saleh, of the Muuse Carre, took Zeila and then Berbera (same source).
- 1922. It says a revolt against a tax at Burao led to the killing of Captain Allan Gibb. It says British planes then bombed Burao (same source).
- 1981 to 1991. It says Habar Yoonis members twice chaired the Somali National Movement. Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur became Somaliland's first president (same source). See the Isaaq genocide.
- Other figures. Wikipedia also lists the musician Abdullahi Qarshe and Sultan Nur Ahmed Aman among Habar Yoonis people (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).
Wikipedia says all Habar Yoonis sultans come from the Reer Sugulle, a branch of the Reer Ainanshe. It lists Sugulle, Diiriye Sugulle, Xirsi Amaan, Nuur Axmed Amaan, Cawad Diiriye, Doolaal Nuur and Madar Xirsi among them (Wikipedia, Habar Yoonis, backup). See xeer, Somali customary law.
In recent conflict records
The EUAA lists Habar Yoonis disputes active in April 2023 to March 2025 (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1):
- with the Dhulbahante in Ceerigaabo and Caynabo
- with the Habar Jeclo in Ceerigaabo and Ceel Afweyn
- with the Ciise Muuse in Cali Saahid village, Burao district
- election rivalries in Hargeisa, which it says "did not lead to armed violence"
The EUAA says the Gacan Libaax militia "is associated with the Habar Yunis clan" and began fighting Somaliland forces in July 2023 (EUAA 2025, Togdheer). Earlier, the EASO recorded a Muuse Ismaaciil clash with the Warsangeli Nuux Cumar in Laasqoray district in March 2021 (EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021). See clan conflicts, district by district.
Where sources differ
- Tree. Abbink lists Gunbuur, Reer Cabdi Xirsi, Reer Wayd and Reer Sugulle in an unnamed set beside Sa'ad. Wikipedia places all four under Xirsi Cismaan, inside the Carre Siciid line.
- Place in Isaaq. Wikipedia says the Habar Yoonis are part of the Garxajis. ACLED codes one group as "Cidagale Habar Yoonis".
- Sources. The Somali Wikipedia page holds only an English-language tree.
Read more
Sources
- Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 32 · hdl.handle.net
- ACLED clan actor list, September 2025 · acleddata.com
- EUAA 2025, Togdheer · euaa.europa.eu
- Wikipedia, Habar Yoonis, backup · en.wikipedia.org
- Somali Wikipedia, Habar Yoonis, backup · so.wikipedia.org
- ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 11 · ecoi.net
- EUAA 2025, Sanaag · euaa.europa.eu
- EUAA 2025, Wogoyi Galbeed · euaa.europa.eu
- EUAA Country Focus 2025 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
- UK Home Office, CPIN Somalia: clans, 2019, quoting EASO 2014 · ecoi.net
- EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
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Where this matters
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Somali clan tree: DarodEvery Darod clan, sub-clan and lineage in Abbink 2009 and ACLED 2025, level by level, as one part of the Somali clan tree.
- Somali clan tree: DirEvery Dir clan, sub-clan and lineage in Abbink 2009 and ACLED 2025, level by level, as one part of the Somali clan tree.
- Somali clan tree: every clan, sub-clan and lineageThe full Somali clan tree, family by family down to diya-paying groups, from Abbink 2009, ACLED 2025 and the World Bank, with a download.
- Somali clan tree: groups outside the clan familiesGroups Abbink places outside the Somali clan families, and the Somali Bantu groups in ACLED 2025: part of the Somali clan tree.
- Somali clan tree: HawiyeEvery Hawiye clan, sub-clan and lineage in Abbink 2009 and ACLED 2025, level by level, as one part of the Somali clan tree.
- Somali clan tree: IsaaqEvery Isaaq clan, sub-clan and lineage in Abbink 2009 and ACLED 2025, level by level, as one part of the Somali clan tree.