Ministry of Defence (Somalia)
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Defense of the Transitional Federal Government
(TFG) of the Somali Republic
is the government body in charge of the TFG armed forces
) had dissolved after the demise of the government of Siad Barre
in the early 1990s. For many years, the country was run by independent warlords and ethnic tribal militias. In February 2004, the establishment of a new national military was granted in the Transitional Federal Charter, Chapter 10, Article 65:
law. However, diplomatically the ICU had agreed to work with the TFG for the creation of a national army, as noted in this report before the United Nations Security Council
:
The ICU was defeated in December 2006 at a series of battles by the TFG, along with allies from Ethiopia
and the autonomous Somali states of Puntland
and Galmudug
. These include the battles of Baidoa
, Beledweyne
, Bandiradley
and Jowhar
. The final major operation took place in January 2007 at the Battle of Ras Kamboni
, though scattered insurgency and inter-clan violence remains an issue.
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
(TFG) of the Somali Republic
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...
is the government body in charge of the TFG armed forces
Established by Transitional Federal Charter
The Somali National Army (SNASNA
SNA, Sna, or sna may refer to:In economics:* System of National Accounts, a conceptual framework that sets the international statistical standard for the measurement of the market economy* United Nations System of National Accounts...
) had dissolved after the demise of the government of Siad Barre
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre was the military dictator and President of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 1991. During his rule, he styled himself as Jaalle Siyaad ....
in the early 1990s. For many years, the country was run by independent warlords and ethnic tribal militias. In February 2004, the establishment of a new national military was granted in the Transitional Federal Charter, Chapter 10, Article 65:
CHAPTER TEN
ARTICLE 65
SECURITY AND DEFENSE FORCES.
1. The Somali Republic shall have a national armed force consisting of the army and police.
2. The Armed forces shall faithfully abide and preserve the Charter, the laws of the land and unity of the country.
3. The law shall regulate the structure and functions of the armed forces and the system of cooperation and coordination amongst them in the fulfilment of their institutional duties.
List of the Defence Ministers of Somalia
| Incumbent | Tenure | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Somali Republic 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... |
||
| Abdihakim Mohamoud Haji-Faqi Abdihakim Mohamoud Haji-Faqi Abdihakim Mohamoud Haji-Faqi , also spelled Abdulhakim Mahamud Fiqi, is a Somali diplomat and politician. He was Minister of Defense of Somalia.-Biography:Haji-Faqi hails from the Bay region in southern Somalia. He was previously a diplomat in Canada.... |
12 November 2010 – Present | Transitional Federal Government Transitional Federal Government The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional... (TFG) |
| Mohamed Abdi Mohamed | 21 February 2009 – 12 November 2010 | Transitional Federal Government Transitional Federal Government The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional... (TFG) |
| Somali Democratic Republic Somali Democratic Republic The Somali Democratic Republic was the name that the communist regime of former President of Somalia Major General Mohamed Siad Barre gave to Somalia after seizing power during a bloodless coup d'état in 1969... |
||
| Muhammad Ali Samatar Muhammad Ali Samatar Muhammad Ali Samatar is a Somali politician and former Prime Minister of Somalia from 1 February 1987 to 3 September 1990.- Biography :Samatar was born in 1931 in Somalia... |
1980 – 1986 | Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party The Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party was the governing political party in Somalia from 1976 to 1991.- History :XHKS was created by the military regime of Siad Barre under Soviet guidance. A founding congress was held in June 1976. The congress elected a Central Committee, with Barre as the... (SRSP) |
Opposition from Islamic Courts Union
The creation of a national army was opposed militarily by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which sought to establish national institutions based on Islamic shariaSharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
law. However, diplomatically the ICU had agreed to work with the TFG for the creation of a national army, as noted in this report before the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
:
On 4 September 2006, the Transitional Federal GovernmentTransitional Federal GovernmentThe Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
and the Supreme Council of the Islamic Courts signed an agreement in which they, inter alia, agreed to: (a) reconstitute the Somali national army and national police force and work towards reintegration of the forces of the Islamic Courts, the Transitional Federal Government and other armed militias once an agreement on a political programme was in place...
The ICU was defeated in December 2006 at a series of battles by the TFG, along with allies from 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...
and the autonomous Somali states of Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
and Galmudug
Galmudug
Galmudug is an autonomous region in central Somalia. It is bordered to its north by the Puntland region, to the west by Ethiopia, and to the south by other regions of Somalia.Galmudug's name is derived from a conflation of the Galguduud and Mudug provinces...
. These include the battles of Baidoa
Battle of Baidoa
The Battle of Baidoa began on December 20, 2006 when the Somali Transitional Federal Government's forces allied with Ethiopian forces stationed there attacked advancing Islamic Courts Union forces along with 500 alleged Eritrean troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.The battle began with...
, Beledweyne
Battle of Beledweyne
Battle of Beledweyne may refer to:*Battle of Beledweyne *Battle of Beledweyne *Battle of Beledweyne...
, Bandiradley
Battle of Bandiradley
The Battle of Bandiradley in Somalia began on December 23, 2006, when Ethiopian and Puntland forces, along with Warlord Abdi Qeybdid fought the forces of the Islamic Courts Union defending Bandiradley...
and Jowhar
Battle of Jowhar
The Battle of Jowhar was a battle in the 2006 Somali War fought between the Islamic Courts Union and affiliated militias against Ethiopian and Transitional Federal Government forces for control of the town of Jowhar . It began on December 27, 2006, when retreating ICU forces regrouped near their...
. The final major operation took place in January 2007 at the Battle of Ras Kamboni
Battle of Ras Kamboni
The Battle of Ras Kamboni was a battle in the 2006-2007 Somali War fought by the Islamic Courts Union and affiliated militias against Ethiopian and the Somali Transitional Federal Government forces for control of Ras Kamboni , a town near the Kenyan border which once served as a training camp for...
, though scattered insurgency and inter-clan violence remains an issue.