Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki
Encyclopedia
Sheikh
Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki , also known as Hassan Al-Turki, or "Al-Turki"–"The Turk", is a Somali
Islamist and military leader in the Islamic Courts Union and previously Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya
.
. He hails from the Reer Abdille subdivision of the Ogaden
Darod
clan. It is believed that Al-Turki participated in the unsuccessful Ogaden War
between Somalia
and Ethiopia
over control of the Somali-inhabited Ogaden region, and subsequently left the region to continue his revolutionary efforts in Somalia.
On June 3, 2004, Al-Turki was designated, under US Presidential Executive Order 13224
, for terrorist financing. He later became a military leader of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), and was in charge of the Dhobley district situated near the North Eastern Province
. He also led ICU forces in the taking of Jubaland
.
On September 23, 2006, Al-Turki forces approached Jilib
, en route to Kismayo. Juba Valley Alliance
forces withdrew without a fight. After the city fell, on September 24, he promised peace to the city after Islamic militiamen broke up an anti-Islamist demonstration with gunfire, killing three teenagers. (Also see: Juba Valley Alliance: War In Somalia) Al-Turki addressed people in Kismayo telling them the region would be under the Islamic law. “This city is seized by Islamic forces including all tribes of Somali men, welcome to the new peace brought to this city and I promise you will live in security and prosperity,” Sheikh Hassan Al-Turki reportedly said.
He was later targeted in a US fighter jet strike on March 2, 2008. US fighter jets struck the southern Somali town of Dobley. The bombings by the AC-130 gunships targeted two homes in the town that were allegedly visited by Turki, who is believed to have ties to al-Qaeda.
Al-Turki is currently the leader of an insurgent group named the Ras Kamboni Brigades
. The group merged with three other resistance groups, including Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys', Asmara
based, wing of the ARS
to forum Hizbul Islam.
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki , also known as Hassan Al-Turki, or "Al-Turki"–"The Turk", is a Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
Islamist and military leader in the Islamic Courts Union and previously Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya
Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya
Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya or AIAI is a defunct Islamist militant group in Somalia that was added to the U.S. list of terrorist organizations on September 24, 2001...
.
Biography
Al-Turki was born in 1944 in the OgadenOgaden
Ogaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
. He hails from the Reer Abdille subdivision of the Ogaden
Ogaden (clan)
The Ogaden is a Somali clan, and one of the largest Darod subclans.-Overview:Members of the Ogaden clan primarily live in the central Ogaden plateau of Ethiopia , the North Eastern Province of Kenya, and the Jubaland region of Southern Somalia...
Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
clan. It is believed that Al-Turki participated in the unsuccessful Ogaden War
Ogaden War
The Ogaden War was a conventional conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia in 1977 and 1978 over the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. In a notable illustration of the nature of Cold War alliances, the Soviet Union switched from supplying aid to Somalia to supporting Ethiopia, which had previously been...
between Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
over control of the Somali-inhabited Ogaden region, and subsequently left the region to continue his revolutionary efforts in Somalia.
On June 3, 2004, Al-Turki was designated, under US Presidential Executive Order 13224
Executive Order 13224
Executive Order 13224 is an executive order signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on September 23, 2001 as a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks....
, for terrorist financing. He later became a military leader of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), and was in charge of the Dhobley district situated near the North Eastern Province
North Eastern Province (Kenya)
North Eastern Province is the third largest province in Kenya and has thirteen constituencies represented in the Kenya National Assembly.The region is home to a rare type of antelope called the Hirola, which is classified as an endangered species. The NFD's pastoralists also possess livestock in...
. He also led ICU forces in the taking of Jubaland
Jubaland
Jubaland , also known as Azania or the Juba Valley and formerly as Trans-Juba , is an autonomous region in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in...
.
On September 23, 2006, Al-Turki forces approached Jilib
Jilib
Jilib is a town in Somalia, with an estimated population of approximately 45,000. It is located on the main road from Mogadishu south to Kismayo and is the most populous town in the Middle Juba Region.The Islamic Courts Union was defeated there in the Battle of Jilib December 2006 January 2007...
, en route to Kismayo. Juba Valley Alliance
Juba Valley Alliance
The Juba Valley Alliance is a political faction of the Somali Civil War. It was the primary opponent of the Somali Patriotic Movement and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council vying for the control of Kismayo and the Juba River valley, the area known as Jubaland.Following the...
forces withdrew without a fight. After the city fell, on September 24, he promised peace to the city after Islamic militiamen broke up an anti-Islamist demonstration with gunfire, killing three teenagers. (Also see: Juba Valley Alliance: War In Somalia) Al-Turki addressed people in Kismayo telling them the region would be under the Islamic law. “This city is seized by Islamic forces including all tribes of Somali men, welcome to the new peace brought to this city and I promise you will live in security and prosperity,” Sheikh Hassan Al-Turki reportedly said.
He was later targeted in a US fighter jet strike on March 2, 2008. US fighter jets struck the southern Somali town of Dobley. The bombings by the AC-130 gunships targeted two homes in the town that were allegedly visited by Turki, who is believed to have ties to al-Qaeda.
Al-Turki is currently the leader of an insurgent group named the Ras Kamboni Brigades
Ras Kamboni Brigades
The Ras Kamboni Brigades also known as the Ras Kamboni Brigade, Muaskar Ras Kamboni or Mu'askar Ras Kamboni was an Islamist insurgent group active in Somalia , which took part in the anti-Ethiopian insurgency and later in the insurgency against the new Transitional Federal Government of Sheikh...
. The group merged with three other resistance groups, including Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys', Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
based, wing of the ARS
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia is an organization created in September 2007 when Somali Islamists and opposition leaders meeting in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, joined forces to fight the Transitional Federal Government and the occupation of Somalia by Ethiopian forces.Roughly 400...
to forum Hizbul Islam.