At the turn of the twentieth century, the city served as a bastion for the Dervish forces of Sayyid Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, the emir of Diiriye Guure. Several forts remain from this period, in addition to colonial edifices built by the Italians. Daarta Dhowre Sheneeleh, a prominent fort from the Darawiish era, is located in the city. The notion of the building of fortresses for Dervish inhabitation was conceived in pre-1902 when the Dervishes built a fort at Halin, subsequently at Eyl also called Illig. According to the British War Office, the castle at Illig was exclusively inhabited by the Majeerten clan, and in particular by the Wadalmuge Gheri subclan of Majeerten.
Eyl is the site of many historical artifacts and structures. Along with a rock shelter near the southern town of Buur Heybe, it is the seat of the first professional archaeological excavation in the country.