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Somali National Alliance
The Somali National Alliance (abbreviated SNA) was a major politico-military faction formed on 16 June 1992 by four different rebel groups that had been in opposition to the regime of former president Mohamed Siad Barre. The SNA was the first major inter-clan and inter-factional political alliance and was considered to be among the most powerful factions of the Somali Civil War. The alliance most notably faced off against the second phase of the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II) during the insurgency that emerged against foreign troops in the latter half of 1993.
Following the 1991 split in the United Somali Congress (USC) between Mohamed Farah Aidid and his primary rival Ali Mahdi Muhammad and the routing of Barre's forces out of Somalia and into Kenya during 1992, a tentative military coalition that had existed between different rebel organizations morphed into the politico-military organization known as the SNA. The alliance included Aidid's breakaway wing of the USC, the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), the Somali Southern National Movement (SSNM) and Somali Democratic Movement (SDM). The organization professed the goal of working toward forming a national reconciliation government and an eventual multi-party democracy.
The SNA later became part of the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC), formed in 2001, which was incorporated into the internationally recognized Transitional National Government in 2002.
During the mid to late 1980s various insurgencies of growing intensity began opposing the regime of Siad Barre that had ruled Somalia since 1969. Human rights abuses and atrocities by the regime during events such as the Mogadishu riots of July 1989 inflamed insurgency. Formed in 1987, the United Somali Congress (USC) led by Gen. Mohamed Farah Aidid, played a leading role in toppling the government in Mogadishu in January 1991. The USC split following a clash over the leadership of the new government between Aidid and Ali Mahdi Muhamed.
Reports that former President Siad Barre's organization, the Somali National Front (SNF), was planning to retake Mogadishu led to the creation of a coalition consisting of four rebel groups: Aidid's wing of the United Somali Congress (USC), the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), the Somali Democratic Movement (SDM) and the Somali Southern National Movement (SSNM). On 17 April 1992 the Somali National Alliances short-lived predecessor, a military coalition known as the Somali Liberation Army (SLA), was formed. Brigadier General Mohamed Farah Aidid was elected chairman of the SLA that same day.
The coalition was created with the express goal of preventing Barre from retaking the capital and to further push the last remnants of his troops out of Somalia. Fierce back and forth fighting between SLA forces (led by General Aidid) and SNF forces loyal to President Barre in the fertile inter-riverine areas of southern Somalia consequently resulted in the devastating 1992 famine. Looting of grain stores in the region carried out by the Somali National Front prompted many Rahanweyn communities to begin joining the SNA during 1992. According to SNA accounts of the final clashes, SNF forces outnumbered the Somali Liberation Army coalition over six times, but were ambushed and encircled when they left their base in Baidoa and came within 50 km from Mogadishu. Following the defeat, Barre's forces were routed into southern Somalia until they were pushed out into Kenya by the SLA on 29 April 1992. According to the SLA, over 500 of Barre's troops were taken as prisoners of war and then turned over to the Red Cross.
On 14 May 1992, the SLA seized the strategically important southern port city of Kismayo, and three days later former President Barre fled to Nigeria. Early on in June 1992 the coalition publicly announced that it would never accept the deployment of foreign troops on Somali soil, but welcomed and requested humanitarian aid.
Following the defeat of Siad Barre's forces, on 16 June 1992 the SLA was phased out and the politico-military organization known as the Somali National Alliance was founded by the same four rebel groups of the SLA in the town of Bardere. The Somali Liberation Army instead morphed into the military wing of the newly founded SNA.
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Somali National Alliance
The Somali National Alliance (abbreviated SNA) was a major politico-military faction formed on 16 June 1992 by four different rebel groups that had been in opposition to the regime of former president Mohamed Siad Barre. The SNA was the first major inter-clan and inter-factional political alliance and was considered to be among the most powerful factions of the Somali Civil War. The alliance most notably faced off against the second phase of the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II) during the insurgency that emerged against foreign troops in the latter half of 1993.
Following the 1991 split in the United Somali Congress (USC) between Mohamed Farah Aidid and his primary rival Ali Mahdi Muhammad and the routing of Barre's forces out of Somalia and into Kenya during 1992, a tentative military coalition that had existed between different rebel organizations morphed into the politico-military organization known as the SNA. The alliance included Aidid's breakaway wing of the USC, the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), the Somali Southern National Movement (SSNM) and Somali Democratic Movement (SDM). The organization professed the goal of working toward forming a national reconciliation government and an eventual multi-party democracy.
The SNA later became part of the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC), formed in 2001, which was incorporated into the internationally recognized Transitional National Government in 2002.
During the mid to late 1980s various insurgencies of growing intensity began opposing the regime of Siad Barre that had ruled Somalia since 1969. Human rights abuses and atrocities by the regime during events such as the Mogadishu riots of July 1989 inflamed insurgency. Formed in 1987, the United Somali Congress (USC) led by Gen. Mohamed Farah Aidid, played a leading role in toppling the government in Mogadishu in January 1991. The USC split following a clash over the leadership of the new government between Aidid and Ali Mahdi Muhamed.
Reports that former President Siad Barre's organization, the Somali National Front (SNF), was planning to retake Mogadishu led to the creation of a coalition consisting of four rebel groups: Aidid's wing of the United Somali Congress (USC), the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), the Somali Democratic Movement (SDM) and the Somali Southern National Movement (SSNM). On 17 April 1992 the Somali National Alliances short-lived predecessor, a military coalition known as the Somali Liberation Army (SLA), was formed. Brigadier General Mohamed Farah Aidid was elected chairman of the SLA that same day.
The coalition was created with the express goal of preventing Barre from retaking the capital and to further push the last remnants of his troops out of Somalia. Fierce back and forth fighting between SLA forces (led by General Aidid) and SNF forces loyal to President Barre in the fertile inter-riverine areas of southern Somalia consequently resulted in the devastating 1992 famine. Looting of grain stores in the region carried out by the Somali National Front prompted many Rahanweyn communities to begin joining the SNA during 1992. According to SNA accounts of the final clashes, SNF forces outnumbered the Somali Liberation Army coalition over six times, but were ambushed and encircled when they left their base in Baidoa and came within 50 km from Mogadishu. Following the defeat, Barre's forces were routed into southern Somalia until they were pushed out into Kenya by the SLA on 29 April 1992. According to the SLA, over 500 of Barre's troops were taken as prisoners of war and then turned over to the Red Cross.
On 14 May 1992, the SLA seized the strategically important southern port city of Kismayo, and three days later former President Barre fled to Nigeria. Early on in June 1992 the coalition publicly announced that it would never accept the deployment of foreign troops on Somali soil, but welcomed and requested humanitarian aid.
Following the defeat of Siad Barre's forces, on 16 June 1992 the SLA was phased out and the politico-military organization known as the Somali National Alliance was founded by the same four rebel groups of the SLA in the town of Bardere. The Somali Liberation Army instead morphed into the military wing of the newly founded SNA.