1992, Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed marshalled forces to successfully expel an Islamist extremist group linked to the outfit, which had laid siege to Bosaso, a prominent port city and the commercial capital of the northeastern part of the country. The turn of the 21st century saw an increasing prevalence of puritanical Sunnism, including in the form of Muwahhidism and Salafism. Although there is no official demographic figures on Zahirism in Somalia, many Somalis follow methods of practicing Islam that aligns with Zahiri beliefs, such as a suspicion towards human authority regarding Islamic legal matters. Shia Ibn Battuta in his travels to Zeila, in northwest Somalia, in the 14th century, described it as a town of Shiites. The Saudi invasion of Yemen in 2015 resulted in large amounts of Zaydi Shia Yemeni refugees seeking refuge in northern Somalia. There has never been a comprehensive survey on religious affiliation in Somalia, and as such, figures on adherence are largely based upon speculation. The historian David Westerlund refers to both Shia and Wahhabi (Hanbali madhab) sects in Somalia as relatively recent developments. The city of Zeila began to gradually lose its Shiite character during the period between 1623 and 1639, when the Ottoman administrators came to increasingly regard the Shiism practised by the local Somali Shiites as heretic due to the ongoing Safavid-Ottoman War against Safi of Persia. Non-denominational Muslim Although there has never been a comprehensive census in Somalia that lists various Islamic denominations as an option, there have been some Somalis in the diaspora who have used the self-description of "just a Muslim" upon probes into their religious affiliation. Ibadi Ibadism is predominant in Oman and is characterized by the acceptance of fewer hadiths, and the acceptance of Jami Sahih and Tartib al-Musnad as canonical hadith collections. Although Ibadism has not officially been reported being practiced in Somalia, certain Eastern Harti clans who migrated from Somalia in the medieval period whom are known as Dishiishes or Muhdis live in modest numbers in Oman, wherein Ibadism is the state religion. See also Islam by country Islamic Court Union Religion in Somalia References External links Somali Qadiriya (Somali language) Somalia