# Maxamed Case (Mahad Case, Reer Maxamed, Bahabar Aadan, Gadabuursi)

> The Maxamed Case (Mahad Case) of the Gadabuursi: family tree, Reer Maxamed, Bahabar Aadan and other groups, where they live in Awdal and Djibouti, and records.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/society/maxamed-case/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Name and family tree

The Maxamed Case are a lineage of the [Gadabuursi](/en/society/gadabuursi/), a [Dir](/en/society/dir/) clan. English sources write Mahad Case or Mahad Assa.

| Source | Line it gives |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Gadabursi > Mikadore > Mahad Assa, with Adan, Hussein, Musa and Abokor ([Abbink, *The Total Somali Clan Genealogy*, 2009, pp. 16 to 17](https://hdl.handle.net/1887/14007)) |
| Wikipedia (backup) | Gadabuursi > Habar Makadur > Mahad Case ([Wikipedia, Gadabuursi, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadabuursi)) |
| Somali Wikipedia, Reer Maxamed (backup) | Maxamed Muuse Maxamed, of Samaroon Siciid Daa'uud ([Somali Wikipedia, Reer Maxamed, backup](https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beesha_reer_maxamed_Maxad_case)) |
| Somali Wikipedia, Bahabar Aadan (backup) | Aadan > Maxamed > Maxad Case > Makadoor > Maxamuud > Samaroon ([Somali Wikipedia, Bahabar Aadan, backup](https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beesha_Bahabar_Aadan)) |
| ACLED 2025 | Codes Gadabuursi groups such as Makhila and Reer Mohamud Noor, but no Maxamed Case group ([ACLED clan actor list, September 2025](https://acleddata.com/system/files/2025-10/Somalia-clan-actor-old-to-new-list_16-September-2025.xlsx)) |

The other Habar Makadoor lineage is the Makaahiil. The other Gadabuursi division is the Habar Cafaan (Wikipedia, Gadabuursi, backup). See [the Dir tree](/en/society/somali-clan-tree-dir/).

## Main branches

Wikipedia lists seven Maxamed Case groups ([Wikipedia, Gadabuursi, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadabuursi)):

- Bahabar Abokor, Bahabar Muuse and Habar Muuse
- Bahabar Aadan and Bahabar Celi
- Reer Maxamed and Abraahin

**Reer Maxamed.** Somali Wikipedia places them under Habar Muuse. It names seven lineages: Reer Cabdille, Axmed Cigaal, Galaalweyn, Gadhadhweyn, Dhegood, Reer Aadan and Horkameer ([Somali Wikipedia, Reer Maxamed, backup](https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beesha_reer_maxamed_Maxad_case)).

**Bahabar Aadan.** Somali Wikipedia traces them to Aadan, son of Maxamed Case. It names no further lineages ([Somali Wikipedia, Bahabar Aadan, backup](https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beesha_Bahabar_Aadan)).

## 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](https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1193130/90_1261130976_accord-report-clans-in-somaliarevised-edition-20091215.pdf)).

| Group | What the sources record |
|---|---|
| Reer Maxamed | Somali Wikipedia names Salal, Awdal and Hargeisa, Djibouti, and parts of Somalia. Its list of places includes Saylac, Lughaya, Baki, Borama, Gabiley, Arabsiyo, Abaarso and Harar ([Somali Wikipedia, Reer Maxamed, backup](https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beesha_reer_maxamed_Maxad_case)) |
| Bahabar Aadan | Somali Wikipedia names Gabiley, Borama in Awdal, Saylac in Salal, Jigjiga in Fafan and Djibouti ([Somali Wikipedia, Bahabar Aadan, backup](https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beesha_Bahabar_Aadan)) |
| Gadabuursi as a whole | "Awdal region is inhabited by members of the Gadabursi (Isaaq-Dir) and Issa clans" ([EUAA 2025, Awdal](https://www.euaa.europa.eu/coi/somalia/2025/security-situation/28-somaliland/281-awdal)) |

Somali Wikipedia says the Reer Maxamed live by herding, farming and some gold digging in the Siimoodi hills. See [Awdal](/en/regions/awdal/) and [the Somali community in Djibouti](/en/diaspora/djibouti/).

## History on record

- **1500s.** Somali Wikipedia counts Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi as Gadabuursi, of the Maxamed Case. Other clans also claim him ([Somali Wikipedia, Reer Maxamed, backup](https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beesha_reer_maxamed_Maxad_case)).
- **1877.** It says Abu Bakr Pasha, governor of Saylac under Ottoman-Egyptian rule, is believed to have been Reer Maxamed (same source).
- **1946 to 1957.** It names Djama Ali Moussa, of the Bahabar Celi. It calls him the first Somali head of the Government Council of [French Somaliland](/en/relations/france/) (same source).
- **1950s to 1960s.** It names Haji Jibril Jilane Farah, of the Reer Maxamed, as a leading opponent of French rule in Djibouti (same source).
- **1967.** It says France expelled more than 25,000 people from Djibouti, mostly Gadabuursi (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](https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2002542/Somalia_-_Clans_-_CPIN_V3.0e.pdf)).

Somali Wikipedia lists Reer Maxamed elders. They include Suldaan [Sheekh](/en/regions/sheikh/) Ibraahim Cabdi Riiraash and Suldaan Xaaji Daahir Awcilmi. It also names *caaqil* such as Cali Bile Suldaan and Faarax Geedi Cali ([Somali Wikipedia, Reer Maxamed, backup](https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beesha_reer_maxamed_Maxad_case)). It says Sultan Mahamed Haji Dideh, of the Bahabar Celi, was sultan of Saylac in the early 1900s (same source). See [xeer, Somali customary law](/en/society/xeer-customary-law/).

## In recent conflict records

The EUAA conflict list for April 2023 to March 2025 does not name the Maxamed Case or its groups. It lists "Gadabursi (Dir) vs. [Jibril Abokor](/en/society/sacad-muuse/), Sa'ad Muse, Habar [Awal](/en/society/habar-awal/) (Isaaq), in El Bardaale, Gabiley", as dormant ([EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1](https://coi.euaa.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2025_05_EUAA_COI_Report_Somalia_Country_Focus.pdf)). See [clan conflicts, district by district](/en/society/clan-conflicts/).

## Where sources differ

- **Groups.** Abbink lists four groups under Mahad Assa. Wikipedia lists seven, with different names.
- **Imam Ahmad.** Somali Wikipedia counts him as Gadabuursi. Wikipedia's Marehan page counts him as Marehan. See [Mareexaan](/en/society/mareexaan/).
- **Sources.** Most detail here comes from Somali Wikipedia pages that cite few sources.

## Read more

- [Gadabuursi](/en/society/gadabuursi/)
- [Habar Cafaan](/en/society/habar-cafaan/)
- [Dir](/en/society/dir/)
- [The Dir tree](/en/society/somali-clan-tree-dir/)
- [Awdal](/en/regions/awdal/)

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