- ACLED
- Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Provides real-time data on political violence and protest events in Somalia, used by expert witnesses to assess current security conditions and Article 15(c) indiscriminate violence levels.
- Article 15(c) (Subsidiary Protection)
- Qualification Directive provision granting subsidiary protection where a person faces a serious and individual threat by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict. Applies to south/central Somalia outside Mogadishu.
- Article 15(c) Case TypeSouth/Central Somalia
- Darod (clan family)
- One of four major Somali clan families, dominant in Puntland and parts of Somaliland. Sub-clans include Majerteen, Dhulbahante, and Warsangeli. Darod/Harti connections are essential for settlement in Puntland.
- Dir (clan family)
- One of four major Somali clan families. The Isaaq sub-clan of Dir is dominant in Somaliland. Dir clans are distributed across Somaliland, parts of Puntland, and central Somalia.
- Federal Government of Somalia (FGS)
- The internationally recognised government of Somalia based in Mogadishu. Willing but unable to provide effective protection from Al-Shabaab according to July 2025 CPIN. Former FGS officials face Al-Shabaab targeting on return.
- Gaboye/Madhiban
- Occupational caste groups in Somalia facing severe discrimination as clan minorities. Lack clan militia protection and are vulnerable to exploitation and violence from majority clan members.
- Gosha
- A clan minority group in the Jubba and Shabelle river valleys of south Somalia. Faces severe discrimination and lacks clan protection mechanisms available to major clan members.
- Hawiye (clan family)
- One of four major Somali clan families, dominant in Mogadishu and central regions. Sub-clans include Habr Gedir, Abgal, and Murusade. Hawiye clan connections are important for MOJ Mogadishu return analysis.
- IDP (Internally Displaced Person)
- Persons displaced within Somalia due to conflict, drought, or clan violence. Mogadishu hosts large IDP populations with limited access to services, relevant to MOJ humanitarian analysis and July 2025 humanitarian CPIN.
- ISWAP-Somalia
- Islamic State West Africa Province Somalia faction. Operates primarily in Puntland with growing presence. Distinct from Al-Shabaab but poses additional security risk in north-east Somalia.
- Jubaland
- Federal member state in south Somalia comprising lower and middle Juba regions. Contested between Federal Government and Al-Shabaab control. High Article 15(c) risk area.
- Mogadishu
- Capital of Somalia and seat of the Federal Government. Governed by MOJ country guidance framework. Al-Shabaab carries out regular attacks. Clan support or diaspora remittances essential for viable return.
- Puntland
- Semi-autonomous region in north-east Somalia with its own government and security forces. Generally more stable than south/central Somalia but facing increased Al-Shabaab and ISWAP-Somalia presence.
- Rahanweyn/Digil-Mirifle
- One of four major Somali clan families, dominant in south-west Somalia (Bay, Bakool regions). Faces significant Al-Shabaab presence and Article 15(c) indiscriminate violence risk.
- Somaliland
- Self-declared republic in north-west Somalia, not internationally recognised. More stable than south/central Somalia with functioning government and lower Al-Shabaab presence. Assessed under separate legal framework from MOJ.
- State Protection (Somalia)
- The availability of effective state protection from persecution or serious harm. July 2025 CPIN confirms the FGS is willing but unable to protect citizens from Al-Shabaab. State protection is generally unavailable across Somalia.
- UNHCR Eligibility Guidelines
- UNHCR guidelines on international protection needs of asylum seekers from Somalia. 2024 edition cautions against generalised return and emphasises individual assessment of clan support and personal profile.
- UNSOM
- United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia. Provides reporting on security, humanitarian, and political developments used by expert witnesses in country condition analysis.
- Well-Founded Fear
- The standard for refugee status under the 1951 Refugee Convention: a reasonable degree of likelihood that the applicant would face persecution if returned. Expert evidence informs the objective country conditions element of this assessment.
- Bantu
- Clan minority communities in the Jubba and Shabelle river valleys descended from historical Bantu populations. Face severe discrimination as clan minorities without access to clan militia protection.