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88-785: Galal was born in 1917 in Burao . He hails from the Habar Jeclo clan of the Isaaq . He is noted for having contributed to the development of Wadaad's script . In the 1950s, Galal introduced a more radical alteration of the Arabic script to represent the Afro-Asiatic Somali language . He came up with an entirely new set of symbols with no relation to any other Arabic letter, for the Somali vowels . I.M. Lewis (1958) considers this to be

176-563: A hot arid climate ( Köppen BWh ) in common with most of Somalia, although Burao's weather is moderated by altitude. The average daytime temperatures during the summer months of June and August can rise to 31 °C or 87.8 °F, with a low of 20 °C or 68 °F at night. The weather is cooler the rest of the year, averaging 27 °C or 80.6 °F during the day and 13 °C or 55.4 °F at nighttime. The city's limited rainfall of 222 millimetres or 9 inches usually comes with two peaks during April–May and October–November. Due to

264-538: A Kafir, and laughed at my uniform, saying that I smelt, and asking me why I wore the Sircars clothes. There were hundreds of people there, some from every tribe, Dolbahanta, Habr Toljaala, and Habr Yunis. What is particularly revealing about Ahmed Adan's interview is the confusion that was caused by another letter carried by a Somali, supposedly also from the British administration at the coast. This second letter angered

352-434: A broad raw hide thong, and with it lashed his steed unmercifully. Some of the riders went through regular circus feats, leaping from their horses when at full gallop, picking up objects thrown on the ground, and then remount- ing. After this had continued for some time they would gallop close to our zariba, and reining up, shout "Mort, mort" ("Welcome, welcome"), to which we replied, "Kul liban" ("Thanks"). The Dervish movement

440-585: A disturbing effect upon the surrounding tribes, and immediate dispositions of troops became necessary in order to ensure the apprehension and punishment of those responsible for the murder. On 27th February the Governor telegraphed that, in order to meet the situation which had arisen, he required two aeroplanes for purposes of demonstration, and suggested that two aeroplanes from the Royal Air Force Detachment at Aden should fly over to Berber

528-626: A force of 1,500 Somali soldiers led by 21 European officers and started from Burco on 22 May 1901, while an Ethiopian army of 15,000 soldiers started from Harar to join the British forces intent on crushing the 20,000 Dervish fighters (of whom 40 percent were cavalry ). On 9 January 1904, at the Jidaale (Jidballi) plain, the British Commander, General Charles Egerton , killed 1,000 Dervish. This defeat forced Sayyid and his remaining men to flee to Majeerteen country. Around 1909, in

616-470: A from Aden. He also telegraphed that in certain circumstances it might become necessary to ask for reinforcements of troops to be sent to the Protectorate. James Lawrence author of Imperial Rearguard: Wars of Empire writes [Gibb]..was murdered by rioters during a protest against taxation at Burao. Governor Archer immediately called for aircraft which were at Burao within two days. The inhabitants of

704-646: A fugitive, continued to flee westwards into the thirsty wastelands of the Ogaden . In October 1920, he eventually settled down at Guano Imi , at the head waters of the Shebelle River in the Arsi country, with a party of some four hundred followers. When Fitawrari Seyoum, commanding the nearest Abyssinian garrison at Ginir , heard of his arrival, he sent one of his officers, Garazmatch Ayale, to learn why he had entered Abyssinian territory. The Mullah received

792-535: A great many of his people together, and twice entertained us with some well-executed and characteristic evolutions on horseback. On the first occasion some forty mounted men were collected in the Tug before our zariba; but this did not satisfy the Sultan, and he arranged a second "fan- tasia", in which fully two hundred warriors were engaged. It was the best and most characteristic thing of the kind I had ever seen. A procession

880-709: A new tariqa. The most prominent Sheikh of the Salihiyya order were Isma'il ibn Ishaq al-Urwayni and the Dervish emir Hassan (called Mad Mullah by British) who arrived in Berbera in 1895 and constructed his own mosque and began propagating. He was strongly against khat and chewing tobacco, both of which the Qadiriyya had permitted. Amongst other disputes, he would come to debate the leading Qadiriyya sheikhs of Berbera including Aw Gaas and Xaaji Ibrahim Xirsi. Sheikh Madar ,

968-482: A police force, and eventually on 7 July found Sheikh Bashir and his unit in defensive positions behind their fortifications in the mountains of Bur Dhab. After clashes Sheikh Bashir and his second-in-command, Alin Yusuf Ali, nicknamed Qaybdiid, were killed. A third rebel was wounded and was captured along with two other rebels. The rest fled the fortifications and dispersed. On the British side the police general leading

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1056-516: A population of 750,000. The main residents of Burao are the Habr Je'lo , Habr Yonis , Isamusa and the Arap , which are all subdivisions of the larger Isaaq Somali clan-family . Burao is divided into four wards; Mohamed Ali, Farah Omar, Lihle and Sheikh Bashir. These wards are further divided into neighbourhoods. The city's economy is primarily based on the export of livestock, with Burao and

1144-490: A prayer to Muhammad (Sayyid) and his family and turn, through them, from all evil calamities The ones who has imitated Muhammad (Prophet Muhammad) through his law does not follow the faction of Satan They are the justifiers of [spilling] the blood of the ulama and of wealth and women, they are libertines They prohibit the study of sciences such as law and grammar, they are the repugnant Through every Shaykh who has died such as Al-Jilani they do not seek petition, like

1232-713: A result of the government's campaign. In May 1991, an SNM Central Committee convened in Burao collectively agreed upon revoking its voluntary union with the Somali Democratic Republic . Representatives from the Isaaq clan were in collective support of secession which was reinforced by the support the clan elders of the non-Isaaq clans who were present at the Burco conference Following extensive consultations between SNM leadership figures and clan representatives, it

1320-519: A secret meeting under a big tree later nicknamed "Anjeel tale waa" ("The Tree of Bad Counsel"), about 400 Dervish followers decided to stop following the mullah upon receiving the expulsion letter from the head of the Tariqa, Sheikh Salah, excommunicating the mullah. Their departure weakened, demoralized and angered Sayyid, and it was at this juncture that he composed his poem entitled The Tree of Bad Counsel . Despite leaving Berbera after being rebuked by

1408-683: A stunning defeat. The forts of the dervishes were damaged and the army suffered great losses. The Dervish retreated in to the Ogaden territory in Abyssinia and raided the Ogaden Bah Hawadle clan who were under Habr Yunis protection, reacting to this incident, Haji Warabe of the Reer Caynaashe assembled an army composed of 3,000 warriors. The army set out from Togdheer, on the dawn of July 20, 1920, his army reached Shineleh where

1496-580: Is known. Fine to be doubled in failure to comply with latter conditions and aeroplanes to be used to bomb stock on grazing grounds. Sir Winston Churchill reporting on the Burao incident in the House of Commons : On 25th February the Governor of Somaliland telegraphed that an affray between tribesmen had taken place at Burao on the previous day, in the course of which Captain Allan Gibb, D.S.O., D.C.M.,

1584-477: Is named in his honour. The town became a district capital and a number of public buildings were subsequently established in the following years. Burao's administrative importance declined after Hargeisa replaced Berbera as the capital of the British Somaliland protectorate in 1941, and Burao's urban infrastructure remained underdeveloped. However, with the expansion of the region's livestock trade in

1672-517: The Bimal clan. His letter to the Bimal was documented as the most extended exposition of his mind as a Muslim thinker and religious figure. The letter is until this day still preserved. It is said that the Bimal thanks to their size being numerically powerful, traditionally and religiously devoted fierce warriors and having possession of much resources have intrigued Mahamed Abdulle Hassan. But not only that

1760-655: The District Commissioner at Burao, had been shot dead. Captain Gibb had advanced with his interpreter to quell the disturbance, when 1954 fire was opened upon him by some riflemen, and he was instantly killed. The murderers escaped under cover of falling darkness. Captain Gibb was an officer of long and valued service in Somaliland, whose loss I deeply regret. From the information available, his murder does not appear to have been premeditated, but it inevitably had

1848-685: The Habr Yunis . The incident in question was that of a group of Somali children that were converted to Christianity and adopted by the French Catholic Mission at Berbera in 1899. Whether Sultan Nur experienced the incident first hand or whether he was told of it is not clear but what is known is that he propagated the incident in the Tariqa at Kob Fardod in June 1899. In one of his letters to Sultan Deria in 1899, Sayyid Hassan said that

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1936-622: The Hajj to Mecca , his complete memorization of the Quran and his purported descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad , his name is sometimes preluded with honorifics such as Hajji , Hafiz , Emir , Sheikh , Mullah or Sayyid . His influence led him to being regarded the “ Farther of the Somali People ” . In Berbera, the established Qadiriyya tariqa would soon be challenged by

2024-530: The Secretary of State for the Colonies : I deeply regret to inform that during an affray at Burao yesterday between Rer Sugulleh and Akils of other tribes Captain Gibb was shot dead. Having called out Camel corps company to quell the disturbance, he went forward himself with his interperter, whereupon fire opened on him by some Rer segulleh riflemen and he was instantly killed..Miscreants then disappeared under

2112-477: The 1950s the city once again began to grow. Serving as the most important regional market hub, where livestock from the Hawd region as well as the city's south-western hinterlands was assembled and exported to Saudi Arabia, Burao grew rapidly and replaced Berbera as the second largest city of the Protectorate. Burao's rapid growth continued after independence in 1960. Burao regained its administrative importance as it

2200-623: The 1980s, which led to Isaaqs supporting the rebellion of the Somali National Movement. In May 1988, the Somali National Movement launched an offensive on the cities of Hargeisa and Burao, then the second and third largest cities of Somalia . The SNM captured Burao on 27 May within two hours, while the SNM entered Hargeisa on 29 May, overrunning most of the city apart from its airport by 1 June. During

2288-522: The Bimaal. The Italians wanted to bring in an end to the Bimaal revolt and at all cost prevent a Bimal-Dervish alliance, which lead them to use the forces of Obbia and the Mijertein as prevention. However, soon angered by his autocratic rule, Hussen Hirsi Dala Iljech' – a Mohammed Subeer chieftain – plotted to kill him. The news of the plot leaked to Hassan. He escaped but his maternal uncle, Aw 'Abbas,

2376-519: The Bimal themselves mounted an extensive and major resistance against the Italians, especially in the first decade of the 19th century. The Italians carried many expeditions against the powerful Bimal to try and pacify them. Because of this the Bimal had all the reason to join the Dervish struggle and by doing so to win their support over. the Sayyid wrote a detailed theological statement to put forward to

2464-548: The Bimal tribe who dominated the strategic Banaadir port of Merca and its surroundings. One of the Italian's greatest fears was the spread of 'Dervishism' ( had come to mean revolt) in the south and the strong Bimaal tribe of Benadir whom already were at war with the Italians, while not following the religious message or adhering to the views of Muhammad Abdullah Hassan , understood greatly his goal and political tactics. The dervishes in this case were engaged in supplying arms to

2552-554: The British " have destroyed our religion and made our children their children " alluding to Sultan Nur's incident with the Roman French Mission at Berbera. The Dervishes soon emerged as an opposition of the Christian activities, defending their version of Islam against the Christian mission. There are only one people during the Dervish struggle the Sayyid extensively asked in a letter to join his struggle. Those were

2640-518: The British troops as well as a number of Indian and South African troops perished in the clashes, and a policeman was injured. After his death, Sheikh Bashir was widely hailed by locals as a martyr and was held in great reverence. His family took quick action to remove his body from the place of his death at Geela-eeg mountain, about 20 miles from Burao. A secondary school in Burao, called the Sheikh Bashir Secondary School,

2728-399: The Dervish were camped and proceeded to attack them. The Dervish numbering about 800 were quickly defeated, 700 being killed in the battle, the few remaining survivors fled south. Haji and his army captured 60,000 camels and 700 rifles from the defeated Dervish. During the midst of the battle Haji Warabe entered Hassan's tent but found the tent empty with Hassan's tea still hot. The Mullah, now

Musa Haji Ismail Galal - Misplaced Pages Continue

2816-491: The Dervishes when they were interrupted by the outbreak of World War I . Among the British officers deployed was Adrian Carton de Wiart (later Lieutenant General ), who lost an eye during the campaign, and Hastings Ismay , a staff officer who was later Winston Churchill 's chief military adviser. In the beginning of 1920, the British struck the Dervish settlements with a well-coordinated air and land attack and inflicted

2904-762: The Mullah's camp, with most of his remaining followers dying of sickness and hunger; the few that survived were said to have dispersed shortly after. On 21 December 1920, Hassan died of influenza at the age of 64, his grave is believed to be somewhere close to Imi town of the Somali Region of Ethiopia; however, the exact spot of the Sayid's grave is unknown. In mid 2009, the Somali Regional State administration announced that they would exhume his remains and rebury them in his old castle at Imi. Most of

2992-486: The SNM attack as follows: The Somali army reportedly responded to the SNM attacks in May 1988 with extreme force, inflicting heavy civilian casualties and damages to Hargeisa and Burao....The Somali military resorted to using artillery and aerial shelling in heavily populated urban centres in its effort to retake Burao and Hargeisa. A majority of the refugees we interviewed stated that their homes were destroyed by shelling despite

3080-602: The Somali Studies Association periodically presents the Musa Galaal Award to Somalists whose work on Somali history and culture has earned distinction. Burao Burao , also spelt Bur'o or Bur'ao ( Burr- OH ; Somali : Burco , IPA: [Burˈʕo] , Arabic : برعو ), is the capital of the Togdheer region and the second largest city in Somaliland. Burao was

3168-462: The Somalis Is it not the owner of reason and understanding deceived by them? Then flee from them as from calamities With a long response the Sayyid ended with these sharp words: This exchange would lead to takfir or accusations of apostasy from both men and the murder of Uways by the Dervish in 1909. This ironically proved Sheikh Uways' accusation that the Sayyid deemed it lawful to spill

3256-404: The absence of SNM combatants from their neighbourhoods....The refugees told similar stories of bombings, strafings, and artillery shelling in both cities and, in Burao, the use of armored tanks. The majority saw their houses either damaged or destroyed by the shelling. Many reported seeing members of their families killed in the barrage.... Refugee interviews conducted by Africa Watch described how

3344-440: The blood of the learned. The Sayyid would mock Sheikh Uways death with a final poem Behold, at last, when we slew the old wizard, the rains began to come!". During 1909-1910, the dervish capital moved from Illig to Taleh in the heart of Nugal where the dervish built three garrison forts of massive stone work and a number of houses. He built a luxurious palace for himself and kept new guards drawn from outcast clans. By 1913,

3432-418: The center of the city. According to reports by Human Rights Watch 's Africa Watch, the soldiers, upon entering the city, went on a rampage on 27 and 28 May. This included "dragging men out of their houses and shooting them at point blank range" and summary killing of civilians, the report also noted that "civilians of all ages who had gathered in the centre of town, or those standing outside their homes watching

3520-500: The central police station of Burao), Burao prison and a variety of government offices in the city. The SNM executed a number of Somali military officers and officials. After capturing Burao's central prison the SNM freed political prisoners (including schoolchildren). Somali troops subsequently retreated to their base in Goon Ad. After Somali troops retreated to Goon Ad , in the late afternoon, off-duty soldiers regrouped and entered

3608-491: The constabulary, Colonel Richard Corfield . Hassan memorialized this action in his poem simply entitled "The Death of Richard Corfield". In the same year, fourteen Dervishes infiltrated Berbera and fired few shots on its citizens fleeing, nonetheless causing panic. In 1914, the Somaliland Camel Corps was founded as an expanded and improved version of the constabulary. A British force was gathering against

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3696-503: The cover of darkness. In order to meet the situation created by the Murder of Gibb, we require two aeroplanes for about fourteen days. I have arranged with resident, Aden, for these. And made formal application, which please confirm. It is proposed they fly via Perim, confining sea crossing to 12 miles. We propose to inflict fine of 2,500 camels on implicated sections, who are practically isolated and demand surrender of man who killed Gibbs. He

3784-430: The death of Major Chamber's police guard before escaping to Bur Dhab , a strategic mountain south-east of Burao, where Sheikh Bashir's small unit occupied a fort and took up a defensive position in anticipation of a British counterattack. The British campaign against Sheikh Bashir's troops proved abortive after several defeats as his forces kept moving from place to place and avoiding any permanent location. No sooner had

3872-491: The debates partly in rebuke of the Qadiriyya status quo. In March 1899, one Duwaleh Hirsi, a former member of the Somali Aden police then Mr Percy Cox 's (former counsel-resident of Zeila and Berbera, 1893–1895) expedition guide in Somaliland, allegedly stole a rifle and sold it to the tariqa at Kob Fardod. The vice-counsel at the coast, Harry Edward Spiller Cordeaux , sent a letter to the mullahs at Kob Fardod demanding

3960-563: The dervish dominated the entire hinterland of the Somali peninsula building forts at Jildali and Mirashi, and at Werder in the Ogaden and Beledweyne in southern Somalia. On 9 August 1913, at the Battle of Dul Madoba , a Dervish force raided the Dolbahanta clan and killed or wounded 57 members of the 110-man Somaliland Camel Constabulary . The dead included the British officer who commanded

4048-509: The development of its shoe industry and educational facilities. After Siad Barre took power in 1969, the Isaaq sub-clans felt more and more marginalized, as outsiders from the Darood clan dominated the political establishment of Burao. Most governors during Barre's time in office came from the South and belonged to Darood clans. Violent incidents against the Isaaq civilian population increased in

4136-464: The escarpments of the great inland plateau, the convoy followed the valley of the Tug Dayr as far as Burao, capital of a powerful but friendly Habr Gerhaji sultan. Explorer Frank Linsly James , a guest of Sultan Awad Diiriye during his visit to Somaliland in 1884, describes a performance he witnessed by Habr Yunis Horsemen at Burao's Togdheer River . During our stay at Burao, the Sultan collected

4224-438: The events were killed on the spot. Among the victims were many students." There was also widespread looting by the soldiers, and some people were reportedly killed as a result. Following the first two days of the conflict, angered by the extent to which Isaaqs welcomed the SNM incursion, and frustrated by their inability to contain the SNM advance, the military started attacking the civilian population without restraint "as if it

4312-408: The expedition left the area, than the news traveled fast among the Somali nomads across the plain. The war had exposed the British administration to humiliation. The government came to a conclusion that another expedition against him would be useless; that they must build a railway, make roads and effectively occupy the whole of the protectorate, or else abandon the interior completely. The latter course

4400-471: The faction of Satan And they practice denial at their dhikr , in word and action it requires blasphemy Like their game of saying Is it God ? - doubting him, the northern faction (dervishes) glorify them They make a clamour, a wailing and groaning and howling like mournful dogs And they frequently use the oath By the divorce and reject the ceremony of Allah They have gone astray and make people go astray on earth by land and sea anyone from [among]

4488-516: The faction of sin They do not follow behind the one who has locks of hair, their characteristic is to wear their hair like the Wahhabiyya They trade paradise for cash publicly, in our land, they are a sect of dogs They dally with women who come for license, like with their own mothers, and this is fornication They follow their own opinions, not our books, and they claim to the light from

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4576-472: The failure to implement the taxation without provoking a violent response, the British abandoned the policy altogether. The 1945 Sheikh Bashir Rebellion was a rebellion waged by tribesmen of the Habr Je'lo clan in the former British Somaliland protectorate against British authorities in July 1945 led by Sheikh Bashir , a Somali religious leader. On 2 July, Sheikh Bashir collected 25 of his followers in

4664-401: The fertility and greenery of the region, wild animals come to the area either to breed or to graze on the grassland savannah. Prominent animals found locally include the kudu , wild boar , zebra , Somali wild ass , warthog , antelope , the Somali sheep , wild goat , camel , and many different types of birds. Due south of Burao is a grassland savannah, which attracts many types of fauna to

4752-459: The fine." September 1, 1899. The people of Burao clashed with the British in 1922 after a heavy tax was imposed upon them. They revolted in opposition to the tax and this caused them to riot and attack British government officials. In the ensuing disturbances a shootout between the British and Burao residents broke out; Captain Allan Gibb, a Dervish war veteran and district commissioner, was shot and killed. The British, fearing they could not contain

4840-534: The following stern letter to Captain Cordeauxe and James Hayes Sadler: "This is to inform you that you have done whatever you have desired, and oppressed our well-known religion without any cause. Further, to inform you that whatever people bring to you they are liars and slanderers. Further, to inform you that Mahomed, your Akil, came to ask from us the arms we therefore, send you this letter. Now choose for yourself; if you want war we accept it, if you want peace pay

4928-471: The government separated the non-Isaaqs from the Isaaqs before the attack was initiated: As soon as the fighting broke out, the government used loudspeakers to sort the civilians out into Darood and Isaak. They would shout, "Who is from Galkayo ? Mogadishu ? Las Anod ? Garoe ?" [Non-Isaaq territory]. They appealed to the non-Isaaks to leave so they could burn the town and all those who remained behind. Most of

5016-556: The great revolutionaries of the turn of the 20th century by members of the Pan-Africanist movement . A Socialist realist statue of Hassan riding his horse Hiin-Faniin (sometimes called Sayidka or Siyadka ) was built in central Mogadishu near the Mogadishu Central Mosque in the 1970s or 1980s, but the statue was torn down between 1991 and 1993 and sold as scrap metal. The damaged foundation of

5104-504: The leader of Somali Qadiriyya was invited to participate in 1897 and after rigorous discussion, the Qadiriyya tariqa had proved victorious and Mohamed Abdullah Hassan had been refuted. British authorities took note of the disturbance and turmoil and he was thus expelled from the city. The divisions were deep and both sides had accused the other of heresy , Hassan would go on to form the Dervish movement based on Salihiyya just two years after

5192-1073: The leading Sheikhs of the rival Qadiriyya school the enmity did not end. Heated poems would be exchanged between the Sayyid and prominent Sheikh Uways al-Barawi from Barawa , the leader of the 1908 Benadir revolt. Uways recited this qasida criticizing the Sayyid: صل على محمد واله واصرف بهم من كل سوء داهيه من اقتدى محمدا بشرعه لا يقتدى جماعة الشيطانية هم المبيحون دماء العلما والمال والحريم هم إباحيه ويمنعون الدرس للعلوم كالفقه والنحو هم الكراميه بكل شيخ مات كالجيلاني لا يتوسلون كالجناحيه لا يقتدرون خلف من له شعر سيماهم التحليق كالوهابيه ويشترون الجنة بمال في دارنا جهرا هم الكلابيه ويختلون بالحريم للإجا زة كأمهم فذا سفاحيه يتبعون رأيهم لا كتبنا ويدعون النور من بلاسيه ويفعلون النكر في ذكرهم فعلا وقولا يقتضي كفرانيه كاللعب قائلين أألله شكا به جلهم الشماليه لهم ضجيج وأنين وحنيــــــــن وفحيح كالكلاب الناحيه ويكثرون الحلف بالطلاق وينكرون الكلفة الالهيه ضلوا وأضلوا العباد في الثرى برا وبحرا اي من السماليه أليس ذو لب وفهم يغترر بهم ففر عنهم كالدواهيه ‎ Give

5280-543: The letter. He then gave me a letter. It was written on the back of the letter I had brought him. I saw the Government stamp on it. He (the Sheikh) said, “This is the reply to your letter. I will give you the answer to the other letter to-morrow.” He said that the second letter contained “bad words.” Next morning he gave me two letters, and I then went away, and got into Berbera on Saturday night.” The second letter provoked

5368-444: The making, the market has two main halls and can accommodate more than 2000 merchants. Burao's landscape is semi-desert and fairly flat. The Togdheer River runs through the town. It is often dry but subject to flooding. The river divides the city in half, and can be crossed via a newly built bridge in the city center. Weather in Burao, much like other inland towns in Somaliland, is very warm to hot and dry year-round. The city has

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5456-478: The most accurate Arabic script to have been devised for the Somali language. Despite this, Galal's script was highly controversial and generally rejected, as the idea of introducing brand new letters was considered too much of a deviation from the Arabic Script. Later, he took part in the development of Somali Latin alphabet , along with B. W. Andrzejewski and Shire Jama Ahmed . A prolific writer, Galal

5544-484: The mullahs at the Tariqa; "On the third day the Mullah sent for me. I had seen him before; he often used to come into the house. I went to him, and he said he would give me his reply to the letter I had brought; that he had just received another letter which had been brought by a Somali. He asked me about it, but I told him I knew nothing about it, and asked him who had brought it. He said, “A Somali.” A man named Salan had come in that day. I thought that he must have brought

5632-446: The mullahs, the hostile tone in the reply is due to the offensive second letter carried by Salaan the Somali. Both replies; one regarding the rifle curt but relatively inoffensive and a second addressing the confusing insolent second letter are in the British record. The news that sparked the Dervish rebellion and the 21 year disturbance according to the consul-general James Hayes Sadler was either spread or concocted by Sultan Nur of

5720-469: The native township were turned out of their houses, and the entire area was razed by a combination of bombing, machine-gun fire and burning. After the RAF aircraft bombed Burao to the ground, the leaders of the rebellion acquiesced, agreeing to pay a fine for Gibb's death, but they refused to identify and apprehend the accused individuals. Most of the men responsible for Gibb's shooting evaded capture. In light of

5808-727: The nearby town of Yiroowe being home to two of the largest livestock markets, known in Somali as seylado in the Horn of Africa , with as many as 10,000 heads of sheep and goats sold daily in the city. Burao's livestock market is also the most important livestock market in Somaliland as well as Somalia. The city's central location serves as a hub that connects the nomadic interior of Somaliland and major cities like Erigavo , Aynaba and Las Anod to Somaliland's capital Hargeisa and its main port in Berbera . The central location of Burao has contributed to its economic revival. Goods travelling to

5896-399: The new lot, they are Martins(new). They told me they had one or two "14-shot rifles." I saw some Mullahs walking about with Sniders. The Sheikh himself and some of his Mullahs used to practice daily shooting at a target; they put up a shield against a tree. I used to talk with people every day. We talked about many things, some of the words they said were good and others were bad. They called me

5984-429: The offensive the Somali National Army committed gross human rights violations, including attacking the civilian population using heavy artillery and tanks. Almost immediately SNM fighters took over the military compound at Burao airport where the majority of Somali army soldiers were stationed, the military compound at Goon Ad ( Somali : Goon Cad ) in the outskirts of the city, as well as two police stations (including

6072-412: The officer well, and said that he had been beaten in battle by the British and had come to Abyssinia for protection. He then sent the Fitawrari four rifles and a revolver as presents and asked for some provisions in exchange. Fitawrari Seyoum reported the matter to Ras Tafari , who ordered him to not attack the Mullah but keep him under his watch. However, provisions were not provided and famine fell on

6160-411: The people from these towns left; the government provided them with transportation. Somali Air Force aircraft started intense aerial bombardment of Burao on Tuesday 31 May. Burao, then the third largest city in Somalia was "razed to the ground", and most of its inhabitants fled the country to seek refuge in Ethiopia. Foreign aid workers who fled the fighting confirmed that Burao was "emptied out" as

6248-536: The people who knew the exact location of Hassan's tomb were long dead, but the Regional Information Minister Guled Casowe told VOA Somali Section that a few, very old individuals might be left and they would be able to reveal the details of Hassan's grave. Remains were found in a graveyard at Ginir and the Somali Region of Ethiopia then tried to test the DNA to determine whether they could be those of Sayid Mohammed Abdullah Hassan. Hassan has been seen by some as an icon of Pan-Somalism , and has been considered one of

6336-458: The real estate market, further contributing to the development and growth of the city. Burao was reorganized and restructured massively during the 1970s, and with the migration of locals to the Gulf states , where the oil boom had opened up new job opportunities, Burao's vibrant land market was stimulated further as their savings were often invested in real estate. The city's growth was also caused by

6424-503: The region's nomadic population. The settlement was later on burned to the ground by British forces in 1900, with the modern settlement being re-established in 1910. For much of the 19th century, Burao served as the capital of the Habr Yunis Sultanate . Sultan Nur Ahmed Aman , Sutan Awad Deria and Sultan Madar Hersi ruled from Burao at different periods of time. After leaving the Berbera coastlands and ascending

6512-857: The region, including lions and leopards. Burao has a working bus system. Air transportation needs are served by the Burao Airport , which offers flights via Daallo Airlines to Hargeisa and other cities in the Horn of Africa , as well as international locations such as Addis Ababa and San'aa . As of 2012, the airport's facilities are undergoing major renovations, supervised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Mohammed Abdullah Hassan Muḥammad Ibn Abdallāh Ibn Hassan ( Arabic : محمد بن عبد الله حسن: Somali : Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan ; Osmanya : 𐒉𐒖𐒕𐒕𐒘𐒆 𐒑𐒙𐒔𐒖𐒑𐒑𐒗𐒆 𐒛𐒁𐒆𐒚𐒐𐒐𐒖𐒔 H𐒖𐒈𐒈𐒖𐒒: 7 April 1856 – 21 December 1920)

6600-470: The return of the rifle. The letter was carried by a Somali mounted policeman named Ahmed Adan. Upon his return after the delivery of the letter, Cordeaux interviewed Adan, who provided the following information: I knew many of the people there—some of them were relations of mine. My brother-in-law, Dualeh Aoreb, was there. I asked them if they had any rifles, they said they at first had only six, but had just received fifty-five from Hafoon. I saw two or three of

6688-568: The revolt, requested that Secretary of State for the Colonies Sir Winston Churchill send troops from Aden and bomber aircraft in order to bomb Burao and the livestock of the revolting clans to quell any further rebellion. The RAF planes arrived at Burao within two days and proceeded to bomb the town with incendiaries, effectively burning the entire settlement to the ground. Telegram from Sir Geoffrey Archer , Governor of British Somaliland to Sir Winston Churchill

6776-429: The site of the declaration of an independent Somaliland on 18 May 1991. The city originated as a well named Ceel-Gooni in the late 18th century used by nomads from the surrounding area. The town subsequently grew around the well. Due to the availability of water along the dry valley, Burao developed into a small inland market hub that linked the port of Berbera with the hinterland and offered trading facilities for

6864-463: The south, central and eastern parts of Somaliland all depart from the city's outskirts. Rural merchants also sell their produce on a daily basis, which attracts business. This along with the main livestock market of the city fuels Burao's economy. In 2007, Burao's city authority (in conjunction with development organizations and local traders) opened the Burco Meat and Produce complex. One year in

6952-436: The town of Wadamago and transported them on a lorry to the vicinity of Burao, where he distributed arms to half of his followers. On the evening of 3 July, the group entered Burao and opened fire on the police guard of the central prison in the city, which was filled with prisoners arrested for previous demonstrations. The group also attacked the house of the district commissioner of Burao District , Major Chambers, resulting in

7040-627: Was a Somali , Scholar , Poet , Religious , Political , Social and Military leader who founded and headed the Dervish movement , which led a holy war against British , Italian and Ethiopian intrusions in the Somali Peninsula . He was famously known by the British Empire as the '' Mad Mullah". In 1917, the Ottoman Empire referred him as the " Emir of the Somali People ". Due to his successful completion of

7128-563: Was agreed that Northern Somalia (formerly State of Somaliland ) would revoke its voluntary union with the rest of Somalia to form the " Republic of Somaliland ". The conference was concluded with formation of an interim administration whereby Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur was elected to govern for a period of two years. Burao's population has grown rapidly since its establishment. In 1962, Somalia's statistical service estimated Burao's population to be 12,600. This rose to 20,000 in 1994, 180,211 in 2005, and 230,000 in 2015. As of 2023, Burao has

7216-485: Was also among the foremost authorities on the Somali astrological , meteorological and calendrical systems. He devoted two major works to traditional Somali science, both of which are regarded as classics in Somali Studies . He was prolific in recording and writing about Somali poetry and his recordings include the work of Salaan Carrabey . After a long scholarly career, Galal died in 1980. In his honour,

7304-619: Was decided upon, and during the first months of 1945, the advance posts were withdrawn and the British administration confined to the coast town of Berbera . Sheikh Bashir settled many disputes among the tribes in the vicinity, which kept them from raiding each other. He was generally thought to settle disputes through the use of Islamic Sharia and gathered around him a strong following. The British administration recruited Indian and South African troops, led by police general James David, to fight against Sheikh Bashir and had intelligence plans to capture him alive. The British authorities mobilized

7392-420: Was first formed in the river's bed, and on a given signal all dashed off, brandishing their spears and shields. Dressed in tobes of many colours, and sitting loosely on their gaily caparisoned horses, they engaged in mimic contest with spear and shield, reining their horses upon their haunches when at full gallop, and with wild shouts flinging their spears into the air. Each warrior carried a short-handled whip with

7480-490: Was founded in Burao in 1899. In the end of late August of that year the Dervish leaders and their clan followers assembled at Burao, Mohammed Abdullah Hassan with his followers from the Dhulbahante , the various Habar Jeclo sub clans with their principle headman Haji Sudi , and Sultan Nur Ahmed Aman with his followers from the Habr Yunis clan, declared open hostility. The assembled dervish and their clan allies sent

7568-501: Was killed. Some weeks later, Mohammed Subeer sent a peace delegation of 32 men to Hassan, but he had all the members of the delegation arrested and killed. Shocked by this, Mohammed Subeer sought the help of the Ethiopians and the Dervish withdrew to Nugaal . Towards the end of 1900, Ethiopian Emperor Menelik proposed a joint action with the British against the Dervish. Accordingly, British Lt. Col. Eric John Eagles Swayne assembled

7656-546: Was made the capital of the Togdheer region, which at the time encompassed today's Togdheer , Sool and Sanaag regions. Burao was also during this time the third largest city of Somalia after Mogadishu and Hargeisa. With the opening of a local branch of the Somali Commercial Bank , livestock traders gained access to credits and further expanded their business activities by investing their profits in

7744-473: Was the enemy". The military used "heavy artillery and tanks, causing severe damage, both to civilians and to property. Bazookas , machine guns, hand grenades and other weapons of mass destruction were also directed against civilian targets in Hargeisa which had also been attacked as well as in Burao." A United States Congressional General Accounting Office team reported the Somali government's response to

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