Somalia’s national army is facing a growing wave of reported defections as soldiers belonging to the Hawadle clan abandon their military positions and rally behind their traditional leadership amid an escalating confrontation with the federal government over control of Hiiraan.
The defections follow a call by Hawadle traditional leader Ugaas Yusuf Ugaas Hassan on 6 November, urging members of his clan serving in the Somali National Army (SNA) and other security institutions to withdraw from their positions and assemble in Beledweyne, the capital of Hiiraan.
Footage circulating on social media reportedly shows dozens of uniformed soldiers arriving at the Ugaas’s residence, with successive groups gathering in the city.
On 9 November, FTL Somalia reported that more than two military units had defected, allegedly taking their weapons with them. Other reports indicated withdrawals from military positions in Galgaduud, Middle Shabelle and Lower Shabelle.
An Arabic report published by Al-Manshar claimed that at least 150 Hawadle soldiers had deserted the national army, joining hundreds of others who had reportedly abandoned their positions.
Although the full extent of the defections remains unverified, the developments have raised questions about the cohesion of Somalia’s military as the federal government faces mounting political and security challenges.
Political dispute escalates into armed confrontation
The Hawadle are a major branch of the Hawiye clan family and the dominant clan in Somalia’s central Hiiraan region, particularly around Beledweyne and Maxaas. Their traditional leadership retains considerable political influence, while their fighters played a leading role in the Macawisley uprising against Al-Shabaab beginning in 2022.
The clan has also been at the centre of longstanding disputes over political representation in Hirshabelle, a regional administration comprising Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle, where the Abgaal clan exercises considerable influence.
The latest crisis stems from opposition to the re-election of Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlawe on 24 October.
Prominent Hawadle elders and politicians rejected the electoral process, accusing the federal government of disregarding political agreements and marginalising their community.
At the end of October, Hawadle Macawisley fighters reportedly seized parts of the Hiiraan regional administration headquarters at Lama-Galay in Beledweyne and established positions around strategic locations, including the Liqliqato Bridge and Ugaas Khalif Airport.
At the beginning of November, Hawadle Macawisley militias reportedly withdrew from frontline positions around Matabaan and Buulo Burde, where they had previously fought alongside government forces against Al-Shabaab.
The subsequent reported defections from the regular army suggest that the confrontation is now affecting the federal government’s military command structure.
Hawadle agreement with Al-Shabaab
The developments follow another significant shift in the political positioning of sections of the Hawadle clan.
On 3 October, Al-Shabaab announced that it had reached an agreement with Hawadle traditional elders following two weeks of discussions aimed at ending years of hostilities. The extent to which the participating elders represented the wider Hawadle clan remains unclear.
According to the reported terms of the agreement, participating clan representatives committed to supporting Al-Shabaab, reintroducing Shariah law in their areas, refraining from participating in the federal government’s political institutions and elections, and preventing Macawisley militias from organising or conducting operations against the group from their territories.
The reported agreement also covered local security, dispute resolution, reconstruction and the return of displaced families.
Al-Shabaab official Hussein Ali Fidow welcomed the agreement, describing it as a setback to American efforts to mobilise Somali clans against the group. He also praised the role of Hawadle traditional leaders, religious scholars and reconciliation elders in reaching the settlement.
However, the terms announced through Al-Shabaab-affiliated media have not been independently confirmed by the Hawadle traditional leadership or the federal government.
The reported agreement is particularly significant considering the clan’s previous role in the government’s military campaign.
Beginning in 2022, Hawadle Macawisley fighters were among the principal forces supporting the government offensive against Al-Shabaab in Hiiraan, helping capture territory across parts of central Somalia.
Four years later, some clan elders have reportedly negotiated an agreement with Al-Shabaab, while other fighters have withdrawn from government positions and soldiers belonging to the clan are rallying against the federal administration.
The fragility of Somalia’s political order
The situation also exposes a deeper weakness in Somalia’s Western-backed state-building project.
Despite decades of efforts to establish a modern centralised government and national military, political allegiance across much of Somalia remains closely connected to traditional clan structures.
Research published by International IDEA has documented how clan elders, customary law and Islamic institutions continue to exercise considerable authority in regions including Hirshabelle, often independently of formal government institutions.
The reported Hawadle defections illustrate this tension. The willingness of soldiers to abandon their positions in response to their traditional leader’s call suggests that, for some Somalis, established forms of authority continue to command greater allegiance than the institutions of the central government.
Al-Shabaab, meanwhile, has recognised the importance of these traditional structures and sought to engage with them, incorporating local authorities into aspects of its governance. Research has shown that this approach has worked to its advantage, allowing the group to establish relationships with communities and strengthen its authority through institutions already rooted in Somali society.
The contrast exposes a fundamental weakness in Somalia’s Western-backed state-building project. Attempts to establish a modern centralised state without adequately accommodating existing political structures bring competing sources of authority into conflict.
Mounting pressure on Somalia’s military
The defections come as the government faces uncertainty over the withdrawal of foreign forces, including Ugandan troops deployed under bilateral arrangements.
The government is expected to assume greater responsibility for security as foreign military support is reduced, placing additional pressure on an army already struggling to maintain its positions against Al-Shabaab.
The withdrawal of Hawadle militias and the reported desertion of regular soldiers could further undermine that effort, particularly in areas where local fighters were instrumental in previous government offensives.
Beyond the immediate military implications, the confrontation raises fundamental questions about the authority of Somalia’s federal government and its ability to maintain national cohesion. As traditional clan leaders increasingly challenge Mogadishu’s political and military structures, the crisis underscores the difficulties of building a centralised state in a country where longstanding systems of clan leadership continue to command considerable loyalty and influence.
