Family and clan
Xawaadle (Hawadle, Hawiye)
The Xawaadle (Hawadle) are a Somali clan counted with the Hawiye. Abbink places them in the Mayle line of the 'pre-Hawiye' group. The EASO calls them the most populous clan in Hiiraan, holding the land north-east of the Shabelle river around Beledweyne. Recent records list disputes with the Abgaal, Gugundhabe groups, Cayr, Makane and others.
Name and family tree
The Xawaadle are a Somali clan written Hawadle in English and Auadleh in older Italian sources (Wikipedia, Hawadle, backup). Most sources count them with the Hawiye, but the sources differ on how.
| Source | Line it gives |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Gardere-Yakabur-Mayle ("pre-Hawiye") > Mayle > Hawadle (Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 30) |
| ACLED 2025 | Hawiye > Hawadle (ACLED clan actor list, September 2025) |
| EUAA 2025 | "Hawadle (Hawiye)" (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1) |
| World Bank 2005 (CRD chart) | Listed among "Hawiye Associates: Hawadle, Galje'el, Ajuran, Dagodi" (World Bank, Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, 2005, Appendix 2) |
| Wikipedia (backup) | Samaale > Meyle > Maxamed > Xawaadle, citing Ali Jimale Ahmed's The Invention of Somalia (Wikipedia, Hawadle, backup) |
Abbink writes that it is "not entirely clear" how the "pre-Hawiye" groups relate to the Hawiye. He adds that the Hawadle "are today often presented as one of the major clan-group within the Hawiye" (Abbink 2009, p. 30). See the Somali clan tree.
Main branches
Abbink lists six Hawadle lineages: 'Abdi Yusuf, Farmagge, 'Abdalle, Allagumar, Walahmooge and Abdirahman (Abbink 2009, p. 30).
ACLED's 2025 list codes many Xawaadle groups (ACLED, September 2025):
- Abdi Yussuf, Abdirahman, Cabdalla and Reer Ugaas
- Agoon and Galible Hassan Agoon
- Ali Madaxweyne, Harun, Hassan Musa and Farax Cagaweyne
- Yaber Madaxweyne, with Adam, Baana, Hussein, Iidle and Mohamed Yaber Madaxweyne
- Aadan Warsame, Yaber Dige and Ibrahim Isse
Wikipedia gives a long tree. Under Xawaadle it names Midigsame, with Alagumar and Lo'doone. Under Lo'doone it names Wacwacaale, whose son Samatalis heads four lines (Wikipedia, Hawadle, backup):
| Line | Groups named under it |
|---|---|
| Faramage Samatalis (Reer Ugaas) | Dhoore and Dhaga Digane |
| Yuusuf Samatalis (Cabdi Yuusuf) | Garaad Cabdi, Abuubakar Cabdi, Habarwaa Cabdi and Aadan Cabdi |
| Dige Samatalis | Ciise Dige (Yacquub, Ibraahim and Madaxweyne Ciise) and Yabar Dige |
| Cabdalle Samatalis | Maxamed, Saleebaan, Aadan, Idiris and Cumar Cabdalle |
Under Madaxweyne Ciise, Wikipedia names Cabdalle Madaxweyne (Agoon Cabdalle), Yabar Madaxweyne, Cali Madaxweyne, Axmed Madaxweyne and Geedi Madaxweyne (same source). Every group here is also on the Somali clan tree.
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 |
|---|---|
| Hiiraan | "Hiraan is dominated by the Hawadle clan, which is the most populous and probably the most powerful clan in the region" (EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021) |
| North-east of the Shabelle | The EUAA says the Hawadle dominate "the territory north-east of the Shabelle River" (EUAA 2025, Hiraan) |
| Middle Shabelle | Records name disputes in El Baraf district (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1) |
| Other areas | Wikipedia adds Mogadishu, Qoryooley in Lower Shabelle, Middle and Lower Juba, the Somali Region of Ethiopia and north-eastern Kenya (Wikipedia, Hawadle, backup) |
See Hiiraan and Hirshabelle.
History on record
- 2016 to 2020. Ali Abdullahi Osoble was the first president of Hirshabelle, and Mohamed Abdi Waare the second. Wikipedia lists both as Hawadle (Wikipedia, Hawadle, backup).
- 2020 to 2021. The EASO says the Hawadle in particular asked that Hiiraan be a state of its own, not part of Hirshabelle. General Abukar Haji Warsame (Xuud), a Hawadle, opposed the new Hirshabelle administration "also militarily" (EASO 2021).
- June 2023. Hirshabelle's president removed Hiiraan governor Ali Jeyte Osman. Osman had earlier announced that Hiiraan would leave Hirshabelle, after a tax dispute (EUAA 2025, Hiraan).
- September 2023. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud "secured the support of the Hawadle community in Mahaas" for the fight against al-Shabaab. He named Ali Jeyte commander of the local ma'awisley militia (same source).
- February 2025. An agreement between the Hawadle and Hirshabelle was reportedly negotiated (same source).
See the offensive against al-Shabaab, 2022 to 2025.
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 places the Xawaadle Reer Ugaas under Faramage Samatalis (Wikipedia, Hawadle, backup). ACLED codes a "Hawadle-Reer-Ugaas" group (ACLED, September 2025). See xeer, Somali customary law.
In recent conflict records
The EUAA lists these Hirshabelle conflicts, active in April 2023 to March 2025 (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1):
- Abgaal against Xawaadle, in Jalalaqsi district (Hiiraan) and El Baraf district (Middle Shabelle).
- Xawaadle against Makane (Bantu) in Beledweyne, including Cali Madaxweyne against Makane.
- Xawaadle against Badi Adde (Gugundhabe), in Jalalaqsi district.
- Agoon and Cali Madaxweyne against Cayr (Habar Gidir), in Matabaan.
- Faqay Omar (Dir) against Xawaadle, in villages near the Ethiopian border.
Other EUAA records (same source, sections 1.5.2 and 1.10.2):
- 22 April 2023. A Sacad (Habar Gidir) militia assaulted and raped six Xawaadle women and girls near Dhabad, Cabudwaaq.
- 10 April and 7 May 2024. Hawadle militia members shot truck drivers in Beledweyne district over tax disputes, killing one.
- 16 February 2025. A Xawaadle militia killed a Cayr woman near Beledweyne.
The EASO listed a Xawaadle land dispute with the Reer Aw Hassan (Ashraf) that killed 16 people in June 2020 (EASO 2021). See Cayr, Reer Aw Xasan and clan conflicts, district by district.
Where sources differ
- Hawiye or not. ACLED and the EUAA write "Hawadle (Hawiye)". Abbink places them in a separate "pre-Hawiye" group, and the World Bank's CRD chart calls them "Hawiye Associates".
- Ancestor. Wikipedia traces them to Meyle, son of Samaale. Abbink's Mayle sits under Gardere-Yakabur-Mayle, a line he says claims descent from 'Imr, not Samaale.
- Lineages. Abbink lists six lineages. ACLED and Wikipedia give many more, with different names.
Read more
Sources
- Wikipedia, Hawadle, backup · en.wikipedia.org
- Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009, p. 30 · hdl.handle.net
- ACLED clan actor list, September 2025 · acleddata.com
- EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
- World Bank, Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, 2005, Appendix 2 · openknowledge.worldbank.org
- ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 11 · ecoi.net
- EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
- EUAA 2025, Hiraan · euaa.europa.eu
- UK Home Office, CPIN Somalia: clans, 2019, quoting EASO 2014 · ecoi.net
Toosoo!
Calankii is made by Toosoo, which works for one united, prosperous Somalia.
Can you help with Xawaadle (Hawadle, Hawiye)? Tell us what you can give.
I want to help with this
Where this matters
- Muqdisho (Mogadishu) and BanaadirMogadishu (Muqdisho) is Somalia's capital and makes up the Banadir region, with about 2.97 million people in 20 districts.
- Jowhar (Johar) and Middle ShabelleMiddle Shabelle is the farming region along the Shabelle river north of Mogadishu, with Jowhar as its capital and about 1 to 1.26 million people.
- Marka (Merca) and Lower ShabelleLower Shabelle is Somalia's biggest farming region, along the Shabelle river south-west of Mogadishu, with Marka (Merca) as its capital and about 835,000 to…
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.