Badhan, Sanaag

Badhan (Badhan; برن), also known as Baran is a city in the Sanaag state of Somaliland.

Overview


It was always in danger of flooding during the raining seasons. In 1971, the town was re-located near a borewell called Badhan and it has assumed the name ever since. The area was first settled in the 14th century by Somali herdsmen from the Warsangali subclan of the Darod clan, as there was water available for their flocks.

Badhan is also famous for being the stage of battles between the Dervishes of Mohammed Abdullah Hassan and the Sultanate of Warsangeli. Hassan, the leader of Dervishes, ordered the construction of a new grand fort in the city. Nowadays, the fort is in need of restoration, as time has worn it down.

Politics
Badhan served as the capital of Maakhir state, which was later incorporated into Puntland in January 2009. The entity was initially established by the Warsangali community in opposition to Puntland and Somaliland's contention over their inhabited territory.

In September 2019, local election was held in Baran on the initiative of the Puntland Ministry of Interior, and Ahmed Mohamed Timir was elected mayor. In January 2021, Puntland deployed troops to Badhan to prevent Somaliland's attempts to conduct voter registration in the city. Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril, the Speaker of House of Representatives of Puntland (Parliament) arrived in the city to oversee the operation.

Somaliland's influence in the city was reduced when almost all local militia previously loyal to Somaliland defected to Puntland, and strengthened Puntland's hold on the city. Mahmood reports:

"the Chief of Staff of the Somaliland Armed Forces, General Nuh Ismail Tani, surprisingly expressed relief. He noted that Somaliland had simply been paying these forces not to join Puntland, but this had not truly advanced Somaliland’s interests in return'."

In January 2018, Gamal Mohamed Hassan, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation visited badhan, as well the town of Dhahar in the Sanaag region along with Puntland officials.

On the 31st of January 2023, Voter registration for Puntland Local Government Elections in Badhan, Sanaag region started. Voter registration was being done by Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC) which is an independent body whose mandate is to hold free and fair local elections in Puntland.

Badhan District of Puntland's Sanaag Region has designated 22 places for polling places. All the polling places in Badhan District are the following: Intin, Horseed, Waaberi, Golis, Quudhloho, Kur ilaalo, Calmadow, Geeldoora, Higlo, Gumar, Rad, Laako, Midigale, Moqor, Caanobadan, Carawayn, Faracadey, Dal-lo'aad, Hadaaftimo, Haylaan, Dhanaha, Banadarsama, Jicaanyo, Xargadheere, Mindhicir, Qoryo guban, Caadsaaran, Ceel-magac leh, Qaarar, Ceelbuuh 1, Ceelbuuh 2 and Geed-larifay. TPEC Mobile teams will work in the villages and rural areas inside the districts that have not been chosen for registration and voting.

On March the 18th 2023, The complete preliminary list of registered voters in the Puntland areas and locations where registration has taken place was presented by TPEC. 22,608 voters were registered by TPEC in the Sanaag region of Puntland. 17,784 of those registered voters in the 22 pre-planned polling stations and 16 remote places handled by TPEC's mobile teams came from the Badhan District.

In 25 May 2023 registered voters of Badhan district made an election of one man one vote for the first time, and 33 local councils with 8 different parties compete. KAAH party got the majority of (17/33) of the members and wins the new mayor and deputy mayor.

Demographics
The town is exclusively settled by the Warsangali clan of the wider Harti Darod clan.

Education
The Somali National University has a branch in Badhan. In January 2021, the university's central committee commended the Puntland branch of the National University in Badhan district, which is the last branch to be included in the university, for its good performance, both for its students and for its colleagues. The construction of the university was funded at the cost 6 Million USD by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development in agreement with the Federal Government of Somalia and implemented by the Puntland authorities.

Media
The Somali National Television and Radio Mogadishu report from Badhan and provide regular news coverage.

Notable residents
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 * Gamal Mohamed Hassan, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Somalia
 * Gerad Abdulahi: was the first Garaad of the Warsangali in the late 13th century
 * Gerad Hamar Gale: Second Sultan of the Warsangali
 * Mohamoud Ali Shire: 1897 – 1960 Sultan of the Warsangeli ; Sultan Mohamoud was exiled into Seychelles islands in 1920 for 7 years by the British Empire
 * Abdillahi Mohammed Ahmed: 1926 - 1993 known as Qablan, former Under-Secretary of Finance and former Minister of National Planning (1967 -1969)
 * Farah Mohamed Jama Awl: 1937 - 1991 Respected Somali Writer and Author
 * Omar Fateh: First Somali and Muslim State Senator in Minnesota
 * Fatima Jibrell: Founder of the Horn relief now known as ADESO
 * Jibril Ali Salad: 2006 - 2009 President of Maakhir State of Somalia
 * Said Hassan Shire: 2014 – 2015 Former speaker of Puntland House of Representatives
 * Mohamed Nuur Giriig: 1935 - 2002, Classical Somali singer, specializing in traditional Somali music.
 * Abdullahi Ahmed Jama: Former Minister of Justice, former commander of the Somali National Army of Somalia and the President of Maakhir State of Somalia
 * Ali Aden Lord: First Somali MP and later the Interior Minister of Kenya.
 * Ahmed Ismail Hussein: Xudeydi was a singer, songwriter, composer, instrumentalist also known as King of Oud.
 * Faisal Hawar - Chairman of International Somalia Development Foundation, CEO of Maakhir Resource Company

Mayor
Badhan is claimed by both Somaliland and Puntland, each with its own governor who orders it. Badhan mayor and Badhan district governor mean the same thing.

History
Badhan is listed as Badan in a book published in England in 1951. Its coordinates are given as 10 degrees 43 minutes north latitude and 48 degrees 20 minutes east longitude.

In the 1910s, Mohammed Abdullah Hassan controlled the southeastern part of British Somaliland and also built a fort in Badhan.

In 1933, a drought broke out in Badhan and the government opened a relief camp that housed 2,500 to 3,000 people.

In 1945, the Somaliland government used Poisoned bait to prevent an invasion of locusts, and the population, especially pastoralists, rebelled against the government from Zeira to Badhan because they suspected it was directed at culling livestock and eliminating the country's population.

After Somali civil war
In the early 2000s, Somaliland established the Badhan region and Puntland established the Haylan region and tried to get involved in Badhan's administration. However, the Warsangali clans living in the area were not very aware of these districts and maintained peaceful relations with both countries.

In November 2005, a drought occurred in Sanag and the price of a Toggle the table of contents barrel of water in Badhan district reached 4,500 shillings.

Maakhir state
In 2006, the Warsangali clan and the Puntland government came into conflict and fighting over underground resources in the Warsangali clan's residential areas, and since then the Warsangali have distanced themselves from Puntland. However, Warsangali never joined Somaliland.

In January 2007, Badhan district and Dhahar District declared the establishment of Maakhir state and unilaterally joined the Federal Republic of Somalia. Its capital was designated as Badhan. The Maakhir state soon became dysfunctional, but Warsangali remained bicommunal with Somaliland and Puntland, and never received effective administrative control from either.

In February 2008, the Puntland regime left Badhan and the Somaliland army entered Badhan.

In 2009, Maakhir state was incorporated into Puntland. However, it resurfaced in 2009.

In 2011, Maakhir state ceased operations due to pressure from Puntland and Somaliland.

Dispute among Somaliland and Puntland and Warsangali
In June 2013, Somaliland forces temporarily occupied Badhan district.

In December 2013, President Puntland visited Badhan.

In March 2014, Somaliland forces temporarily occupied Badhan.

In October 2015, eight members of the Somaliland Electoral Commission were detained by the Puntland government in Badhan district. All were later released.

In July 2016, the Mayor of Badhan, Somaliland, said voter registration for the Somaliland elections was going well throughout Badhan District. Somaliland Defense Minister Visits Badhan.

In February 2017, Somaliland's Badhan district governor died in a hospital in Hargeisa.

In August 2017, Somaliland began issuing voter cards for the November elections in Badhan district.

In October 2017, the Somaliland Election Commission announced that 4,235 people registered as voters in the Badhan district.

In November 2017, Puntland's Minister of Security visited Badhan and announced that no Somaliland elections would be held here. No vote was actually taken either.

In January 2018, Somalia's Minister of Planning visited Badhan. Somaliland protested against it.

Governing by Puntland
In March 2018, the Somaliland Defense Minister from Badhan district was prevented from visiting Badhan district by the Puntland military.

In August 2018, Somaliland's Badhan district governor was reportedly suspected of joining Puntland.

In September 2018, the Cabinet of Puntland met in Badhan. President Puntland officially inaugurated Maakhir University.

In May 2019, Somaliland's Badhan Governor Ali Husein announced his resignation. He said Badhan belongs to Puntland.

In August 2019, Somaliland Governor Badhan was ambushed by Puntland militias. There is speculation that the ambush was orchestrated by a former Badhan regional governor who defected to Puntland. The Somaliland government condemns Puntland.

In September 2019, Puntland forces arrested Somaliland's Badhan District Deputy Governor Cabdiraxmaan Axmed.

In September 2019, 26-year-old Hawo Mohamud Farah was elected deputy mayor of the Badan district of Puntland.

In January 2020, a delegation led by the Speaker of the Parliament of Puntland will visit Badhan.

In January 2021, Puntland forces entered Badhan and interfered with voter registration for the Somaliland elections, which were being conducted by the Somaliland government.

In June 2021, the Puntland government deployed a trained police force to Badhan.

In October 2021, Badhan elders condemned the Somaliland government's expulsion of displaced people from southwestern Somalia from Erigavo.

In March 2022, the Vice President of Somaliland oversaw over $5000 donation from Tawakal Transporters handed over to drought relief to the village of Dhanaha near Badhan.

In October 2022, Somaliland's Minister of Social and Family Affairs visited Badhan and met with local intellectuals and elders about ways Badhan could leave Puntland's rule and belong to Somaliland.

On March 2, 2023, a member of the Puntland Parliament representing Badhan was shot and killed by gunmen in Bosaso.