Family and clan
Saleebaan (Habar Gidir, Hawiye)
The Saleebaan (Suleiman, Saleban) are a Habar Gidir clan of the Hawiye, descended by tradition from Saleebaan Madarkicis. Abbink lists two lines, Farah and Dashame. The EUAA names them among the main clans of Galgaduud. Somali Wikipedia places them from Hobyo to Daanyeer on the Ethiopian border, with Cadaado as the centre of the Ximan iyo Xeeb administration.
Name and family tree
The Saleebaan are a clan of the Habar Gidir, part of the Hawiye. English sources write Suleiman, Suliman or Saleban. Several Majeerteen (Darod) groups also carry the name Saleebaan; they are different groups.
| Source | Line it gives |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Hirab > Madarki'is > Habr Gidir > Saleeban (Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 27) |
| ACLED 2025 | Hawiye > Habar Gedir > Saleban, older names Suleiman and Suleiman-Habar Gedir (ACLED clan actor list, September 2025) |
| EUAA 2025 | "Habar Gidir (Hawiye) sub-clans, Suleiman (or Suliman, Saleban)" (EUAA 2025, Galgaduud) |
| Wikipedia (backup) | Sulaiman (Saleebaan) Madarkicis, one of five Habar Gidir branches (Wikipedia, Habar Gidir, backup) |
| Somali Wikipedia (backup) | Saleebaan Madar Kicis Hiraab (Somali Wikipedia, Beesha Reer Xaaji Saleebaan, backup) |
See the Hawiye tree.
Main branches
Abbink names two Saleeban lines (Abbink 2009, p. 27):
- Farah, with Mahamed Abdi and Heysow
- Dashame, with Gaabane and Abokor
Somali Wikipedia gives a longer tree. It says the clan splits into Dashame and Farax (Somali Wikipedia, backup):
| Line | Groups named under it |
|---|---|
| Dashame > Obokor > Hugun Guule | Cali Aaden, Reer Ebekar and Ciise Dheere |
| Dashame > Obokor > Arwaaq | Gadaf, Cali Jiis and Cali Gurey |
| Dashame > Gaabane | Cabdi Gaabane, Maxamed Gaabane (with Faarax Rooble, Maxamed Rooble and Reer Ugaas), Habar Rawe Ciganle, Habar Rawe, Cabdi Gaab and Yabaroow |
| Farax | Heesoow and Maxamed Cabdi |
It also lists Reer Xirsi, Reer Muuse, Reer Caraaye, Reer Warsame, Reer Gaafoow, Reer Warfaa and Bahabgaal (same source). ACLED codes one Saleban group without sub-clans.
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 |
|---|---|
| Galgaduud | One of the five major clans of north Galgaduud, with Sa'ad, Cayr, Mareexaan and Dir (EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021) |
| Mudug and Galgaduud border | The EASO quotes a source on "the Suleiman territory, at the border between Mudug and Galgaduud" (EASO 2021) |
| Hobyo to Daanyeer | Somali Wikipedia says their land runs from Hobyo to Daanyeer on the Ethiopian border, about 590 km (Somali Wikipedia, backup) |
| Other areas | Somali Wikipedia adds Banaadir, Lower Shabelle and the Somali Region of Ethiopia (same source) |
Somali Wikipedia says many live in the Ximan iyo Xeeb administration, whose centre is Cadaado (same source). See Galgaduud and Mudug.
History on record
- April 2020. The EASO records clashes between the Wagardhac (Mareexaan) and the Saleebaan in Balli-Cad and Foronta-Fora (EASO 2021).
- February 2021. The interior ministry brokered a first ceasefire between the Cayr and Saleebaan in Hananbure. ACLED then recorded a clash near Dhuusamareeb on 26 February that killed one person (EASO 2021).
- 2021. The EASO quotes a source saying al-Shabaab had "neutralised the Suleiman territory" on the Mudug-Galgaduud border (EASO 2021).
Somali Wikipedia also says Saleebaan journalists founded some of the first independent papers, such as Xog-Ogaal and Ayaamaha (Somali Wikipedia, backup).
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).
Somali Wikipedia names a Reer Ugaas line under Maxamed Gaabane (Somali Wikipedia, backup). 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):
- Saleebaan against Mareexaan, around Balliseenyoole in Cabudwaaq district.
- Saleebaan against Duduble, in villages near Cadaado.
- Saleebaan against Cayr, in Hananbure and Qalanqale, in Cadaado and Dhuusamareeb districts.
The EUAA also records more than ten deaths in clashes between the Saleebaan and the Wagardhac in September 2024. Five boys were reportedly killed by Saleebaan members near the Ethiopian border in August 2023 (EUAA 2025, Galgaduud). On 11 September 2024, a Cayr militia killed two Saleebaan civilians, including a woman (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.2).
See Mareexaan, Cayr and clan conflicts, district by district.
Where sources differ
- Page name. The Somali Wikipedia page titled "Beesha Reer Xaaji Saleebaan" describes the Saleebaan Madarkicis. This page follows that content.
- Lineages. Abbink names Farah and Dashame. Somali Wikipedia agrees on the two lines but adds many more groups.
- Same name. Several Majeerteen groups are also called Saleebaan, such as Cali Saleebaan and Ugaar Saleebaan.
Read more
Sources
- Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 27 · hdl.handle.net
- ACLED clan actor list, September 2025 · acleddata.com
- EUAA 2025, Galgaduud · euaa.europa.eu
- Wikipedia, Habar Gidir, backup · en.wikipedia.org
- Somali Wikipedia, Beesha Reer Xaaji Saleebaan, backup · so.wikipedia.org
- ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 11 · ecoi.net
- EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021 · coi.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
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