 |
Ahmed Abdulla
Country:
 Somalia |
Content:
- Ahmed Suleiman Abdalla
- Somali National Army and Military Coup
- Rise in the Regime
- Ministerial Roles
- - 1981-1982: Adviser to the President on National Security
- - 1989-1990: Minister of Interior again
- Later Years and Legacy
Ahmed Suleiman Abdalla
Early Life and Military EducationAhmed Suleiman Abdalla was born in 1939 into the Dolbahanta clan. He received military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom.
Somali National Army and Military Coup
Upon Somalia's independence in 1960, Abdalla served in the Somali National Army. In 1969, as a major, he participated in the military coup that brought General Mohamed Siad Barre to power, becoming a member of the Somali Supreme Revolutionary Council and receiving the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Rise in the Regime
In 1972, Abdalla became chairman of the National Security Committee of the Somali Democratic Republic. He also served on the Committee for Security Affairs in 1974, becoming a key figure in Siad Barre's regime. In 1976, he joined the Central Committee and Politburo of the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party and was promoted to brigadier general.
Ministerial Roles
Abdalla held various ministerial positions:- 1980-1981: Minister of National Security and Chairman of the National Security Committee
- 1981-1982: Adviser to the President on National Security
- 1982-1984: Minister of Planning- 1984-1988: Minister of Interior
- 1988-1989: Second Deputy Prime Minister responsible for social issues and security
- 1989-1990: Minister of Interior again
Political IntrigueAbdalla was a member of the "constitutional faction" opposing Siad Barre's Marehan clan faction. He married the president's daughter, solidifying his support for the Dolbahanta clan.
Later Years and Legacy
Ahmed Suleiman Abdalla played a significant role in the Somali Democratic Republic, holding key positions in the military, government, and the ruling party. Following the collapse of Siad Barre's regime in 1991, Abdalla's influence diminished, and his legacy remains a complex and controversial one.
