British Perspectives on Aulihan Somali Unrest in the East Africa Protectorate, 1915-1918

[Marquis]

By Allah, I will not be a slave to the Government.

--'Abdurrahman Mursaal, February 1917

Men run wildly about in pursuit of vengeance,
Supporting the unbelievers, who offer them grain for food.
Foreign soldiers are the ones they choose
In preference to the Prophet, on whom be peace.

--Muhammad 'Abdille Hasan

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/23692

Long article so just go to the link. Talks a lot about the beef between Aulihan and Marehan.

Much to the relief of anxious colonial authorities, the leaders of other Somali clans, who likewise experienced the indignities of British rule, refused to join 'Abdurrahman Mursaal. Without doubt, part of the reason for their reticence lay in the already existing conflicts among the Somali clans, and had nothing to do with the Aulihan headman per se. To take the case of the Marehan, 'Abdurrahman Mursaal had supported a British attempt to disarm them in 1913 and, not surprisingly, the Marehan still had not forgotten his collaboration. Indeed, the Marehan's feud with the Aulihan, not to mention the camel raid led by 'Abdurrahman Mursaal himself, had been the proximate cause for the dispute with Lieutenant Elliot. Why then should they join his rebellion? Much the same can be said for the Muhammad Zubeir whose elders refused to participate in a general uprising even though they were heavily pressed by some of their more restless youth who sympathized with the Aulihan.