Somalia History

History of Somalia from Colonization to present day.

1. Somalia Deep Dive
Module 1
Geography, History,
Demographics
19 OCT 2011
15
th
MEU S-2
Cpl Moe, Robert B
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2. British Somaliland
French Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Somalia Colonization
•1884, Berlin conference
caused European powers
to scramble for Africa
•Inspired the Dervish
leader, Muhammad
Abdullah Hassan to rally
support across the Horn of
Africa
–Began the longest
colonial resistance
–Received weapons from
Ottomans, Sudan and
other Islamic/Arabic
countries
•1920, Dervish state
collapsed after
considerable aerial
bombardment by the
English
•England, Italy and
France seized territory
respectively
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3. British Somaliland
Briefly occupied by Italians
and quickly forced out
French Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Early 20
th
Century
•1925, Mussolini gave orders
to seize sultanates and gain
control of the country
–Plan was unsuccessful at first
due to native unification
–Eventually the Italians seized
key cities of Hobyo and Wal-
Wal from anti-italian
sultanates
•1935, England was ready to
cut their losses in British
Somaliland
–The Dervishes refused to
accept any negotiations
•English and French
Somaliland were so
unsuccessful that Italy had
dominated HoA by 1940
•British ousted Italian forces by
April 1941
–Italy had organized a guerilla
force with the Somalis to fight
the British
–British let Italian nationals
remain and assume public
service and advisory roles
–Imposed Marshall law due to
Italian remnants and Dervish
opposition
Wal-Wal
Hobyo
Italian Seized
Territory
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4. Cold War Era
•1960, Somalia had gained
complete independence
•1969, Siad Barre initiated a
coup against the current,
corrupt government
●Installed the Supreme
Revolutionary Council who
rounded up the democratic
regime, banned political
parties, suspended the
constitution and abolished
the National Council
●Goals: end tribalism,
nepotism, corruption and
misrule
●Government was headed by
military and police officers
•1970, Barre declared Somalia
a socialist state
•Somalia had been aligned
with communist states and
was frequently accused of
becoming a soviet satellite
Internationally
Recognized
Borders
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5. Cold War Era
•1976, Somalia had dissolved the
SRC
●Created a one party rule under the
Somali Revolutionary Socialist
Party
•1977, Barre launched an attack
into the Ogaden Region
●By September the Ethiopian
forces were ousted
•Moscow realized its goals were
different from Somalia
●Transferred military and advisor
support to Ethiopia
•1978, Ethiopia regained Ogaden
region
●Barre never pressed into Ogaden
again
•1982, Ethiopian and Somali rebels
invade into central Somalia
●Catalyst for US military support to
Somalia
•1982-1991, Barre maintained his
regime
●Used special guard force (Red
Berets) to quell dissenters
Ogaden Region
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6. Somaliland
Independence 1991
Puntland
Independence 1998
Disputed territory
Somali Civil War
•Jan 26, 1991, Barre’s
government was overthrown
by Mohamed Farrah Aidid with
the United Somali Congress
•May 1991, Somaliland
declared independence
•Dec 3, 1992, UNSCR 794
approved a coalition of UN
and US peace keepers to
alleviate famine
•March 3, 1995, UN withdrew
from Somalia
●
Islamic Courts Union
fiercely fought UN
peacekeeprs
•1998, Puntland declared
“temporary” independence
with the intent to participate in
any Somali reconciliation
•2000, Transitional National
Government formed
●
Declared Bankruptcy in 2003
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7. Somaliland
Independence 1991
Puntland
Independence 1998
Jubaland
Claimed 2010
Abwayn Governate
Claimed 2011
Disputed territory
TFG Somalia
•2004, Transitional Federal
Government was started
●
2006, it’s influence was
waning
●
US-backed intervention by
Ethiopia ousted the Islamic
Courts Union
•ICU splintered into several
different factions
●
Al-Shabaab was one of these
that continued the insurgency
●
2009, AS ousted Ethiopia
and other militias from power
•2009, TFG and AMISOM
forces launched a counter-
offensive to retake Mogadishu
•TFG has since formed
alliances with reformed ICU
and other organizations for
reuniting Somalia
●
Also stated it will enact
shari’a law as the nations
official judicial system
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