Mawisley militias abandon front lines in central Somalia
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Hawadle clan militias that fought Al Shabaab alongside government forces have abandoned front-line positions in Somalia’s central Hiran region, Caasimada Online news website reported on Sunday, as clan leaders push to form an administration independent of the federal government. The fighters, known as Macawisley, have left posts in the Mataban and Buulo […]
Black News 
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Hawadle clan militias that fought Al Shabaab alongside government forces have abandoned front-line positions in Somalia’s central Hiran region, Caasimada Online news website reported on Sunday, as clan leaders push to form an administration independent of the federal government.
The fighters, known as Macawisley, have left posts in the Mataban and Buulo Barde districts, and there are fears they could also quit Jalalaqsi town.
Clan fighters seized control of the regional capital, Beledweyne, over the weekend, taking over the provincial headquarters and other government offices.
About 2,000 heavily armed clan fighters are now in the town as part of a plan by Hawadle political figures to create an authority separate from Mogadishu and from Hirshabelle, the federal member state that includes Hiran.
Fears of further defections
There are concerns that Hawadle soldiers serving in the federal army in Hiran could also defect, a move that would leave the remaining government-held areas exposed to Al Shabaab. The insurgent group has retaken much of the ground gained by the militias and the army in 2022 and 2023, after a major counter-offensive in 2025.
The Macawisley were formed in 2022 to fight Al Shabaab and received support from the federal government, Ethiopia and the United States.
Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbalolshe, a former head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency, said on recently that his group planned to set up an administration to confront the government in Hiran. He said it would ally with anyone, including Al Shabaab, to remove President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Dispute over Hirshabelle leadership
Hawadle politicians say Mohamud promised their clan the Hirshabelle presidency, then reneged and sidelined them. They accuse the federal government of backing incumbent regional president Ali Gudlawe in a re-election vote that Mogadishu organised and whose outcome it controlled.
It is unclear how the standoff will end or whether Mogadishu will send reinforcements to Hiran region.
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