SUMMARY

The Ismail are part of the Makahil, which is a Somali subclan which inhabits the Somali National Regional State (SNRS) in Ethiopia, and can also be found in lower Jubba in Somalia and in Kenya. The SNRS is linguistically and religiously homogenous, with Somali Muslims constituting the large majority. The Makahil are a subclan of the Ogaden clan, in turn a subclan of the Darod clan, which stretches across a large area also including Somalia and Kenya. The Ogadeni constitute the majority clan group in the SNRS. Most Ogadeni are pastoralists, and adhere to Islam.

The Makahil (Ismail) have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.