Omar Iman Abubakar
Encyclopedia
Sheikh Omar Iman Abubakar, , also known as Abu Bakar, was the chairman of the Somali
Islamist insurgent group Hisbi Islam
, which was formed in 2009 to fight Sharif Ahmed
's government. Abu Bakar is a high ranking official in Hassan Dahir Aweys' Eritrea
n based faction of the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia. He was previously vice president of the Majlis Al-Shura Council.
On March 24, opposition in Hizbul Islam, led by Yusuf Mohammed Siad Inda'ade denounced Omar Iman as their leader and said he had been replaced by Sheikh Mohamed Hassan Ahmed, another Islamic cleric. However, Hassan Dahir Aweys, the groups most powerful figure, rejected the claims made by Indo Ade that Sheikh Omar Iman had been removed as chairman. He was quoted as saying "No one can take authority away from Sheikh Omar Iman, because the group [Hizbul Islam] appointed him as chairman." Prior to this Sheikh Omar Iman had denied that Indho Ade was the group's defence secretary.
This has led to Hizbul Islami dividing in two, with one group led by Indho Ade and the other led by Hassan Aweys (with Omar Iman as chairman).
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...
Islamist insurgent group Hisbi Islam
Hisbi Islam
Hizbul Islam , also known as Hizbul Islaami, Hisbi Islam, or Hezb-ul Islam was a Somali Islamists insurgent group. It was formed after four Islamist groups merged to fight the new Somali government of President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed...
, which was formed in 2009 to fight Sharif Ahmed
Sharif Ahmed
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is the current President of Somalia and former Commander in Chief of the Islamic Courts Union .-Biography:...
's government. Abu Bakar is a high ranking official in Hassan Dahir Aweys' Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
n based faction of the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia. He was previously vice president of the Majlis Al-Shura Council.
On March 24, opposition in Hizbul Islam, led by Yusuf Mohammed Siad Inda'ade denounced Omar Iman as their leader and said he had been replaced by Sheikh Mohamed Hassan Ahmed, another Islamic cleric. However, Hassan Dahir Aweys, the groups most powerful figure, rejected the claims made by Indo Ade that Sheikh Omar Iman had been removed as chairman. He was quoted as saying "No one can take authority away from Sheikh Omar Iman, because the group [Hizbul Islam] appointed him as chairman." Prior to this Sheikh Omar Iman had denied that Indho Ade was the group's defence secretary.
This has led to Hizbul Islami dividing in two, with one group led by Indho Ade and the other led by Hassan Aweys (with Omar Iman as chairman).