Family and clan
Mareexaan (Marehan, Darod)
The Mareexaan (Marehan) are a Darod clan in the Sade line. ACCORD names them one of the three big Darod groups, with the Ogaden and the Harti. The EUAA calls them the most powerful clan in Gedo, holding most land west of the Juba. They also live in Galgaduud and Mudug. Recent records list disputes with Dir, Habar Gidir, Garre and Rahanweyn groups.
Name and family tree
The Mareexaan are a Somali clan, written Marehan in English. All the sources used here place them in the Darod clan family.
| Source | Line it gives |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Darod > Sa'ade > Marehan (Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 24) |
| ACCORD 2009 | The Darod "are commonly divided into three major groups referred to as Ogaden, Marehan, and Harti" (ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 12) |
| World Bank 2005 (CRD chart) | Sade, with Marehan and Facaye (World Bank, Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, 2005, Appendix 2) |
| ACLED 2025 | Darod > Marehan (ACLED clan actor list, September 2025) |
| Wikipedia (backup) | Parent group Sade, within the Darod (Wikipedia, Marehan, backup) |
See the Darod tree.
Main branches
Abbink lists two main Marehan lines, Mohamed and Hawrarsame (Abbink 2009, pp. 24 to 25):
| Line | Groups named under it |
|---|---|
| Mohamed | Nur, Hassan, Siyad, Diini, Talhe, 'Ali Dheere, Isak, Samatar, Islam, Ahmed, 'Ali Hussein, Eli and Habr Yakub |
| Hawrarsame | Yusuf, Aadan and Mahamud |
He also lists Reer Talhe, Reer Hassan, Reer Ahmed, Habr 'Isse and Siyad Hussein. Under Reer Dini he names Guled, Koshin, Shirwa, Nuur, Warfaa, Ugas-Sharmarke and others. Further groups include Reer Soonfure, Reer Uur-Mudug, Wagardhai and Garad (same source).
ACLED's 2025 list codes these Marehan groups (ACLED, September 2025):
- Bahararsame, Hawrarsame and Hororsame
- Reer Dini, Reer Siyad, Reer Ahmed and Siyad Hussein
- Wagardhac, Cili, Dalal, Reer Dalal and Talha
- Muse Fiin, Fuqu Muhumed and Gabawen
- Reer Aw Hassan, Reer Ugas Sharmake, Reer Garaad and Reer Cafi
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 2009, p. 11).
| Place | What the sources record |
|---|---|
| Gedo | "The Marehan (Darood) is the most powerful clan in political and military terms, dominating virtually all of the territory west of the Juba river" (EUAA 2025, Gedo) |
| Gedo, share of people | The EASO says they "constitute about half or more of the total population" of Gedo (EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021) |
| Galgaduud | One of the five major clans of north Galgaduud, with Sa'ad, Saleebaan, Cayr and Dir groups (EASO 2021) |
| Mudug | Listed among the other clans of Mudug (EUAA 2025, Mudug) |
| Middle Juba | Records name Marehan herders in Saakow district (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.2) |
The EASO adds that Luuq and Bardhere were multi-clan towns "dominated by the Marehan" as of 1999 (EASO 2021). See Gedo, Galgaduud and Mudug.
History on record
- 1500s. Wikipedia says Marehan fighters took part in the campaigns of Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi. It names Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros as a Marehan commander (Wikipedia, Marehan, backup).
- 1969 to 1991. Siad Barre led Somalia. The Library of Congress says his government was informally called "MOD", for Marehan, Ogaden and Dhulbahante (Library of Congress). See the Siad Barre era.
- 1990s. Abbink lists the Somali National Front (SNF) as a Marehan group, made of "ex-president Siyad Barre's supporters" (Abbink 2009, p. 40).
- 2017 to 2022. Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo was president. Wikipedia lists him as Marehan (Wikipedia, Marehan, backup).
- 2020 to 2021. The EASO says the federal-Jubaland rivalry played out in Gedo. It notes a split between rer guri (long-resident Marehan) and rer galti (Marehan who moved to Gedo in the civil war) (EASO 2021).
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).
Abbink names an Ugas-Sharmarke line under Reer Dini. ACLED codes a "Marehan-Reer Ugas Sharmake" group. The EASO says Marehan sub-clans often clash "over power, eldership, and resources" (EASO 2021). 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):
- Reer Aw Hassan (Marehan) and Gababweyne against Moalim Weyne, in Luuq, Gedo.
- Marehan against Gelidle (Mirifle), in Bardhere district, Gedo. Listed as dormant.
- Surre (Dir) against Marehan, in Cabudwaaq and Laandheer, Galgaduud.
- Saleebaan (Habar Gidir) against Marehan, around Balliseenyoole, Cabudwaaq district.
- Sa'ad (Habar Gidir) against Wagardhac (Marehan), in Dhabad and Galinsoor.
- Cayr (Habar Gidir) against Marehan, in Balanbale district.
- Marehan against Sa'ad in western Galkacyo district, dormant as of February 2025.
The EUAA says ACLED recorded 49 incidents between Marehan and Dir militias in Galgaduud in that period. It recorded 32 between Marehan and Habar Gidir militias (EUAA 2025, Galgaduud). On 25 January 2025, a Marehan militia killed two Habar Gidir herders near Cabudwaaq (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.2).
The EASO also records Garre-Marehan disputes over El Waq and Marehan-Rahanweyn tensions in Gedo (EASO 2021). See Cayr and clan conflicts, district by district.
Where sources differ
- Ancestor. Abbink and the World Bank chart place the Marehan under Sade (Sa'ade). Wikipedia gives the same parent group.
- Lineages. Abbink names two main lines and many groups. ACLED codes 19 groups, with different spellings and some different names.
- Early history. The 1500s claims come from Wikipedia, a backup source flagged for missing citations.
Read more
Sources
- Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 24 · hdl.handle.net
- ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 12 · ecoi.net
- World Bank, Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, 2005, Appendix 2 · openknowledge.worldbank.org
- ACLED clan actor list, September 2025 · acleddata.com
- Wikipedia, Marehan, backup · en.wikipedia.org
- EUAA 2025, Gedo · euaa.europa.eu
- EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
- EUAA 2025, Mudug · euaa.europa.eu
- Library of Congress · countrystudies.us
- UK Home Office, CPIN Somalia: clans, 2019, quoting EASO 2014 · ecoi.net
- EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
- EUAA 2025, Galgaduud · euaa.europa.eu
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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.
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