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Quasi-independent and semi-autonomous regions in Somalia (H - Q)

Last modified: 2020-01-04 by bruce berry
Keywords: somalia |
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The complete list of Quasi-independent and semi-autonomous regions in Somalia can be found here.  Areas beginning with letters A - G can be found here and with letters R - Z can be found here. See also:

Hamar and Hamardaye State

image sent by Jaume Ollé, 03 Nov 2014

The Hamar and Hamardaye State (Xamar & Xamar Daye) was established in Nairobi on 15 May 2011 claming the Benaadir and Middle Shabelle regions.

There appear to be two versions of a flag, the most common being divided diagonally with light blue at hoist and red at fly.  In the blue (more or less in a central position) is a white five pointed star.  In the lower fly is the state emblem which appears to be the arms of Benaadir without shield. As the emblem is small it is difficult to confirm all its details. Flaggenkourier (No. 39, June 2014) show s a flag with a white tower flanked with green laurel branches and below a yellow disk bearing a black map or figure.  Behind the disk are two crossed lances.

The second version is also divided diagonally with dark blue at the hoist and red in fly.  In the center is the arms of Benaadir in white surmounted by a star and flanked by laurel branches with a ribbon below.
Jaume Ollé, 03 Nov 2014


Hiiraan State

image by Cai Zhenyuan, 13 Mar 2011

It was reported by HOL that on 13 July 2010 a preliminary conference was organized and sponsored by the Hawadle Clan of Hiiraan to formally pave the way for reconciliation and to establish a local administration in the Hiiraan region of Somalia was held in the conference hall of the Andolus Hotel in Eastleigh, Nairobi. A flag for Hiiraan, as shown, above was displayed at the conference.
Cai Zhenyuan, 13 Mar 2011

At least three administrations claim the government of Hiiraan.  Moves toward claiming statehood began in 1998 although the state was only proclaimed in 2010 using a flag as shown above.

image by Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2014

A more commonly used variant of the flag replaces the palm tree with another tree and the star rotated towards the hoist.

image by Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2014

A further variant retains the two palm trees, but in a different rendition, and bearing furthermore the inscription “HIRAAN STATE” both below the star.

Two more variants confirmed by photographs are known to exist.

  • A white flag with light blue triangle at hoist (1/3) containing two completely green trees and a light blue star in center of the remaining flag.  This version seems to be made for celebrations and bears an inscription in an arc over the star “I love Hiraan” and below “Hiraan State” (all in black capital letters); and
  • A completely blue flag with white lined triangle at hoist containing the two trees and star in white.

image by Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2014

It’s possible that  the flag was changed in 2014 based on a photo showing a yellow flag with a palm tree or similar in the centre with the inscription Gobolka Hiraan (Hiran State).   I have no confirmation on the status of this flag.
Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2014


Hiiraan and Shabelle

image by Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2015

An illustration of the flag of Hiiraan and Shabelle comes from a Somali web page.

Blue stands for the old republic of Somalia ; white is for security; and green for the vegetation; the yellow sun is for expansion of Islam, regional acknowledgement and positive energy.
Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2015


HirShabelle

image by Krystof Huk, 18 Nov 2016

On 05 October 2016, the new Somalian federal state of HirShabelle held a constitutional conference, at which the flag illustrated above was adopted.  The design of the flag is based on the old autonomous Hiiraan state flag, but the white triangle is replaced by a green one  and the river flowing between the trees probably represents the Shabelle River which bisects the state.   The fly is light blue and contains a large white five pointed star.
Krystof Huk, 18 Nov 2016

image by Jean-Marc Merklin, 11 Nov 2019

The coat of arms of HirShabelle is based on the Somali national arms but with the regional motif in the shield.
Jean-Marc Merklin, 11 Nov 2019


Jiin Webi

image by Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2014

Jiin Webi was founded on 01 October 2011 and is supported by the Somali Bantu or Jareerweyne communities.  A video of the formation of the state can be seen on YouTube.

The flag comprises three equal horizontal stripes of green, white and green.  In the hoist is a light blue triangle defaced with a white five pointed star.

image by Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2014

Flaggenkourier (No. 39, June 2014) shows a variant with a smaller star and the horizontal stripes in proportion 7:2:7. 

A similar pattern is used by Ras Asayr and Banadir Shabelle and I assume that this variant was selected by Flaggenkourier so as not to repeat the image.

Jaume Ollé, 15 October 2014


Juba and Shabelle

image by Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014 and Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 18 Nov 2014

The flag of Juba and Shabelle is white over green with blue triangle bearing a white star at hoist. In the white part near the hoist is a circle of nine dark red or maroon stars and in the part near the fly a tree. In the base of tree, from left to below part, an undulated line of light blue, and from the right to the below part other undulated line of light blue. There’s a Facebook page for this state with a pair of drawings of the flag (ratio c. 1:3), but still no photograph to confirm.

In Flaggenkourier (No. 39, June 2014) the design if the flag is same but the tree is slightly different and the circle is black with ten stars.  The light blue undulated lines are not pictured and the ratio of the flag is given as 1:2.
Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014


Juba-Jazira

image by Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014 and Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 18 Nov 2014

Juba Jazira (Jubba Jazira) was created at end of 2010 with its president, Abdi Ahmed Osman, being welcomed in Nairobi (Kenya) on 03 January 2011.  It's flag has a white background with the state emblem in the centre, with a Somali flag below, which is confirmed by photographic evidence. 

Flaggenkourier (No. 39, June 2014) illustrates the Somali national flag for this state.
Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014


Juba-Raas

    images by Jaume Ollé, 16 Oct 2014 and Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 18 Nov 2014

Juba-Raas was created 08 January 2011 in Scandinavia.  The militia of Ras Kamboni was initially allied to al-Shabab and then created their own state loyal to the Transitional Government with its capital at Jilib.

Two variants of the flag can be confirmed in photographs following the same basic design of two horizontal stripes of green (three quarters) and light blue (one quarter) with the regional emblem in the centre and the Somali flag in the canton.  One variant has the name of the state inscribed in white in the centre of the light blue stripe. The blue stripes appear to have slightly different shade. Flaggenkourier (no. 39, July 2014) illustrates only the first variant.
Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014


Juba Shabelle (Shabelle Juba)

image by Jaume Ollé, 24 October 2014

Juba Shabelle (also called Shabelle Juba) State was created on 05 July 2011.

All sources are agree that it has a flag of three equal horizontal stripes of red, blue and green.  In the centre of each stripe is a white five-pointed star.
Jaume Ollé, 24 October 2014


Juba Valley Regional State

image by Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014

Juba Valley Regional State originated in the Juba Valley Alliance, together with other allied forces.  Its president is Hussein Abdi Baaleey. Its flag comprises three vertical stripes of light blue, red and green with a white five pointed star in the centre of the flag on the red stripe.
Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014


Khaatumo State

image by Cai Zhenyuan, 03 May 2012

Khaatumo was announced in January 2012 after a meeting in Taleh town of Sool and it comprises the Sool, Sanaag and Eyn regions. Khaatumo was established during a conference known as Khatumo2 and supports the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) rather than Somaliland. The Dhulbahante clan, a sub clan of Darod clan, is dominant in the regions of Sool, Sanag and Eyn and has maintains the SSC militia fighters who fought against Somaliland in Buuhoodle. Major politicians including Ali Khalif Galeyr, a former Somali prime minister and lecturer at US universities, backed the conference. The Khatumo state of Somalia will have three presidents, rotating on a six month basis, and a Supreme Council comprising of three members, and a cabinet of six members. The three routine presidents are: Ahmed Elmi Osman (Amed Karash), Mohmaed Yusuf Jama (Indhasheeel) and Nur Elmi (Biindhe). In March of this year, the TFG officially recognized Khaatumo. In March 2012, the TFG recognized the state, but rescinded this few days a later.
Cai Zhenyuan,16 July 2013

Khaatumo State is a newly formed semi-autonomous state located in north eastern Somalia. It was formed after a conference held in the Taleh district of Sool region in December 2011. The conference was attended by representatives from Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions.

Based on a photograph on flickr, the state flag has a dark blue background with a large white five-pointed star in the hoist half and a horse in the fly half, also in white. The name of the state (in English) is written at the top of the flag in white.
Cai Zhenyuan, 03 May 2012

image by Cai Zhenyuan, 27 May 2013

According to this source, Khaatumo has a new flag which is blue with a white five-pointed star in the centre. Near the hoist, to the left of the star, is a jumping white horse. No further information is provided.
Cai Zhenyuan, 27 May 2013


Maayland

An image of the flag of Maayland / Southern Somali Union is shown here. This flag has already been reported as the flag of South-West Somalia.

Olivier Touzeau, 02 Aug 2008

 


Mareeg State

image by Jaume Ollé, 17 October 2014

Mareeg state was established in 2011. It is a region in Galgadud that was the base of the old sultanate of the Ajuuran.  The flag has a blue triangle at the hoist with a large five pointed star rotated left, and three equal horizontal stripes of light blue, white and green in the fly.
Jaume Ollé, 17 October 2014


Marka

image by Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014

The status of the city of Marka is unclear.  I have a photo showing people bearing two flags - the Somali flag and one as illustrated above.  The latter also appears on two posters, one with a local leader and the other promoting education.
Jaume Ollé, 16 October 2014


Middle Shabelle (Dhexe Shabelle)

image by António Martins-Tuválkin , 06 June 2006

Middle Shabelle (or Dhexe Shabelle) State appears to have two flags; a light blue flag bearing a central white five pointed pointed star and with four smaller white stars in each corner. There is also a flag of with horizontal stripes of green, red, green. In the center, mainly in the red but also crossing into the green stripes is a yellow ring within which is the state emblem (probably laurel branches on each side of a palm tree).
Jaume Ollé, 24 October 2014


Midland

image by Jaume Ollé, 17 Oct 2014 and Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 18 Nov 2014

The flag of Midland has a white border.  In the centre is a blue background with a five pointed star surrounded by a circle of 14 smaller white pointed stars.  On either side of the central device is a palm tree.  The existence of the flag is confirmed in photographs.
Jaume Ollé, 17 October 2014


Northland

Northland State is an autonomous state in the disputed Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions of Somalia between the self-declared republic of Somaliland and the autonomous Somali states of Puntland and Maakhir.  Northland State was declared autonomous on 01 May 2008.  Currently it appears as if the Somali national flag is still being used.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 13 July 2008

The Northland State (01 May 2008 - 11 January 2009) was an autonomous state in the disputed Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions of Somalia.  While Northland's official capital was Las Anod, its parliament never met due to Las Anod being under the control of Somaliland.
Cai Zhenyuan, 04 Dec 2013