During his campaign to gather fighting men in southern Somalia, Sayyid Mohamed received enormous support from the Marehan population, securing forces from the hinterland in northern Somalia to the length of the entire Jubba region in southern Somalia, from Serinley near Bardera to the coast.
Sayyid Mohamed Abdulle Hassan's own Ogaden clansmen weren't entirely on his side when the Marehan saw the importance of siding with the nationalist leader in ridding themselves of the colonial powers.