# Wacbuudhan (Wa'budhan, Abgaal Hawiye)

> The Wacbuudhan (Wa'budhan) branch of the Abgaal Hawiye: family tree, sub-clans, where they live and recent conflict records, from EUAA, ACLED and Abbink.

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

## Name and family tree

The Wacbuudhan are a branch of the [Abgaal](/en/society/abgaal/), a clan of the [Hawiye](/en/society/hawiye/) family ([EUAA Country Guidance, 2025](https://euaa.europa.eu/country-guidance-somalia/1-general-remarks)). The name is spelled many ways: Wacbuudhan and Wacbudhan in Somali, and Wa'budhan, Wabudhan or Wa'abudan in English sources.

| Source | Line it gives |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Hawiye > Bah Girei > Gurgate > Abgal > Wa'abudan ([Abbink, *The Total Somali Clan Genealogy*, 2009, p. 26](https://hdl.handle.net/1887/14007)) |
| ACLED 2025 | Hawiye > Abgal > Wabudhan ([ACLED clan actor list, September 2025](https://acleddata.com/system/files/2025-10/Somalia-clan-actor-old-to-new-list_16-September-2025.xlsx)) |
| EUAA 2025 | "Wa'budhan/Abgaal/Hawiye" ([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)) |
| Wikipedia (backup) | The middle of the three Abgaal branches: "the eldest Harti, the middle Wacbudhan and the youngest Waceysle" ([Wikipedia, Abgaal, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abgaal)) |

The Abgaal in turn sit in the Hiraab and Mudulood line in some sources and directly under Gurgate in others. See [Abgaal](/en/society/abgaal/) for those placements.

## Main branches

Abbink lists one lineage under Wa'abudan: Da'ud ([Abbink 2009, p. 26](https://hdl.handle.net/1887/14007)).

ACLED's 2025 list codes these groups ([ACLED, September 2025](https://acleddata.com/system/files/2025-10/Somalia-clan-actor-old-to-new-list_16-September-2025.xlsx)):

- Wabudhan > Mataan Muse
- Wabudhan > Mohamed Muse
- Abgal > Mohamed Muse, with Dhiblabe Turyare and Suubiye Turyare
- Abgal > Daud, and Abgal > Kabaale

The EUAA names two sub-clans of the Mohamed Muse: Adan Dhiblabe Turyare and Suubiye Dhiblabe Turyare. It also names the Agoonyar Gabane and Obakar Gabane as Mohamed Muse groups ([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)).

The clan tree on Wikipedia's Hawiye page gives a longer list under Wa'budhan. It names Galmaax Yonis (with Yusuf Galmaax, Maxamed Muuse, Cumar Galmaax, [Celi](/en/society/duduble/) Cumar and Reer Mataan), Xuseen Yonis and Adan Yonis. It also names Kabaale Wacbudhan ([Saleeban](/en/society/saleebaan-habar-gidir/) Muse, Xeyle Muse) and Dauud (Isaaq Dauud, Yusuf Dauud and [Reer Ugaas](/en/society/gadabuursi/)) ([Wikipedia, Hawiye, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawiye)).

Every group here is also on [the Somali clan tree](/en/society/somali-clan-tree/).

## Where they live

No census counts Somalis by clan. The Austrian research centre 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)).

| Place | What the sources record |
|---|---|
| Jowhar district, Middle Shabelle | Fighting between two Mohamed Muse sub-clans ([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)) |
| Adale district, Middle Shabelle | Fighting between Mohamed Muse groups and the Abdalle Arone (same source) |
| Middle Shabelle | "The dominant clan in Middle Shabelle is the Abgal clan" ([EUAA 2025, Middle Shabelle](https://euaa.europa.eu/coi/somalia/2025/security-situation/24-hirshabelle/242-middle-shabelle)) |
| Mogadishu | Wikipedia calls Mogadishu the traditional land of the Reer Mataan ([Wikipedia, Abgaal, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abgaal)). Its Hawiye tree places a Reer Mataan under Wa'budhan ([Wikipedia, Hawiye, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawiye)). |

## History on record

The sources used here record the Wacbuudhan mostly through recent conflict and peace talks. The wider Abgaal history, including Mogadishu from the 1500s and the 1991 split of the [United Somali Congress](/en/institutions/united-somali-congress/), is on the [Abgaal](/en/society/abgaal/) page.

- **July 2023.** Fighting between the Abgal sub-clans Abdalle Arone and Mohamed Muse was reported in Middle [Shabelle](/en/economy/farming-and-harvests/) ([EUAA 2025, Middle Shabelle](https://euaa.europa.eu/coi/somalia/2025/security-situation/24-hirshabelle/242-middle-shabelle)).
- **August 2024.** That conflict was "reportedly resolved through a peace agreement" (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)).

Wikipedia says the Abgaal ugaas comes from the Reer Ugaas and is also ugaas of the Mudulood ([Wikipedia, Abgaal, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abgaal)). Its Hawiye tree places the Reer Ugaas under Dauud, in the Wa'budhan line ([Wikipedia, Hawiye, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawiye)). The August 2024 agreement above is one example of a clan dispute settled by talks. See [xeer, Somali customary law](/en/society/xeer-customary-law/).

## In recent conflict records

The EUAA lists clan conflicts from April 2023 to March 2025, using ACLED data ([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)). Items naming Wacbuudhan groups:

- Adan Dhiblabe Turyare against Suubiye Dhiblabe Turyare, both sub-clans of the Mohamed Muse "(Wa'budhan/Abgaal/Hawiye)", in Jowhar district.
- Mohamed Muse "(Wa'budhan/Abgaal/Hawiye)" against Abdalle Arone, near Adale district.
- Abdalle Arone against Agoonyar Gabane and Obakar Gabane (Mohamed Muse), in Adale district.
- Ili Omar and Reer Mataan, both Abgaal, in [Warsheikh](/en/regions/warsheikh/) district.

See [clan conflicts, district by district](/en/society/clan-conflicts/).

## Where sources differ

- **What sits under Wacbuudhan.** Abbink lists only Da'ud. ACLED puts Mataan Muse and Mohamed Muse under Wabudhan, but also lists Mohamed Muse, Daud and Kabaale directly under the Abgal. Wikipedia's Hawiye tree gives a longer line.
- **Reer Mataan.** ACLED lists Reer Matan and Matan Abdulle under the Abgal, and Mataan Muse under Wabudhan. Wikipedia places a Reer Mataan under Wa'budhan.
- **Spelling.** The same branch appears as Wacbuudhan, Wacbudhan, Wa'budhan, Wabudhan and Wa'abudan.

## Read more

- [Abgaal](/en/society/abgaal/), the clan the Wacbuudhan belong to
- [Hawiye](/en/society/hawiye/)
- [The Somali clan tree: every clan and sub-clan](/en/society/somali-clan-tree/)
- [Middle Shabelle](/en/regions/middle-shabelle/)

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