Methodology
How Somali clan actors are coded in ACLED data
How ACLED codes Somali clan actors
Although the Somali people are ethnically and linguistically homogenous, Somali society is structured around a deeply rooted patrilineal clan system. Lineage is traced through the male line to a common ancestor, forming the foundation of social, political, and economic relationships.
The Somali ethnic group is broadly divided into five principal clan families: Dir, Isaaq, Darod, Hawiye, and Rahanweyn (also known as Digil or Mirifle, and also spelled Raxanweyn). Each of these major clans is further subdivided into a complex hierarchy of sub-clans, sub-sub-clans, primary lineage groups, and diya-paying units — social formations that carry both customary and legal obligations.
This clan-based framework continues to play a central role in Somali identity, conflict resolution, political negotiation, and resource distribution, both within Somalia and across the Somali diaspora.
In ACLED data, these clans are recorded in the Actor and Associate Actor columns. The clan actor name is coded in the format that represents the principal clan, sub-clan, and further subdivision using a separator, i.e., [clan]-[sub-clan]-[sub-sub-clan]. E.g., Darod-Dhulbahante-Ali Geri Sub-Clan Militia (Somalia) or Hawiye-Habar Gedir-Ayr Sub-Clan Group (Somalia). In addition to the five principal clan families, other minority clan actors are also formatted similarly, with the clan name added first, followed by other subdivisions using a separator. E.g., Bantu-Jareer-Weyne Sub-Clan Militia (Somalia).
