The north had sacrificed more than the south. The south, with the capital and National Assembly at Mogadishu, was still the hub of affairs; but from its former position as the capital of a small state Hargeisa had declined to a mere provincial headquarters remote from the centre of things. Even though many northern officials now held key positions in the government, northern pride found it hard to stomach this reduction in prestige. This dissatisfaction was also directly stimulated by the marked increase in unemployment which accompanied the withdrawal of expatriate officials and their families after independence.

I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Som…, loc. 436