United Somali Congress

Infobox Somali faction
faction_name=United Somali Congress


leaders=Ali Mohamed Osobleh Wardhiigley, founderCitation|contribution=Appendix A (Main Events in Somalia's History)|title=United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Somalia|publisher=OCHA|place=Geneva|year=1998|contribution-url=http://www.reliefweb.int/library/appeals/som99.pdf]
Mohamed Farah Aidid, 1989-1996
Hussein Mohamed Farah Aidid, 1996-
clan_tribe=Hawiye (Habar Gidir, Murasade and Abgal clans)
active_years=Before split: February 1, 1989—November 1991
USC Aidid: November 1991–June 1992
USC/SSA Madhi: November 1991–2001
USC/SSA Yalahow: August 1998–present
USC/SSA Finish: December 1999–present
headquarters=Mogadishu
areaofoperations=central and southern Somalia
predecessor=
successor=Somali National Alliance (SNA, often USC/SNA) (June 1992)
Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) (2001)
allies=Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM)
Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF)
opponents=
Somali National Front (SNF)flagicon|United States United StatesClan-based warlordsThe United Somali Congress (USC) is one of the major political and paramilitary organizations of Somalia. Formed in 1989, it played a key role in the ouster of the government of Siad Barre, and became a major target of the so-called Operation Restore Hope campaign in 1993. It had devolved through numerous fragmentations throughout the years but by 2004 its members and alumni would be key participants on the Transitional Federal Government.

History

Based around Hawiye clan, its political wing was founded in Rome in January, 1989. Its military wing was formed in 1989 in Ethiopia, and led by Mohamed Farrah Aidid until his death in 1996. He was succeeded by his son Hussein Mohamed Farrah, by which time the Aidid faction of the organization was also known as the Somali National Alliance (SNA), often the USC/SNA.

The USC was formed in response to brutal aggression against the Hawiye tribe by the military dictatorship of Mohamed Siyaad Barre. During the period of 1988 to 1991, Ex-President Barre launched massive crack downs and carnage against the Hawiye in their homeland in Southern and Central Somalia. The most notable incidents were in Central Somalia in the area near Galkacyo in November 1989 which resulted in the deaths of many innocent civilians at the hands of the Somali National Army. These massacres were deeply shocking and resulted in the future USC Chairman, General Mohammed Farah Aidid to quit his post as Somali Ambassador to India and joined the USC training camps in Mustahiil, Ethiopia.

Military successes by the USC would be instrumental in bringing about the ouster of the Barre government on January 26, 1991, but the USC failed to manage a political settlement with its rivals, the SNM, SPM and the SSDF, and also fragmented within its own leadership after Ali Mahdi Muhammad was declared interim President.

Upon the naming of Ali Mahdi Muhammed as President, the USC split into two. The USC/SNA emerged under Mohammed Aidid and the United Somali Congress/Somali Salvation Alliance (USC/SSA) of Ali Mahdi Muhammed. The USC/SNA came under the control of Mohamed Aidid's son, Hussein Mohamed Farah Aidid after the father's death in 1996. The USC/SSA eventually came under control of the Deputy Chairman, Musa Sudi Yalahow.

Both USC factions made peace with each other in August 1998, though this caused a violent split between Yalahow and Ali Mahdi Muhammed, and fighting continued in Mogadishu. Eventually both Hussein Aidid and Yalahow reconciled and joined the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) in 2002, in opposition to the Transitional National Government (TNG). This caused a rift between the USC/SSA supporters of Yalahow and Omar Muhamoud Finnish (also known as Mahmud Muhammad Finish), who continued to support the TNG. Fighting between the two caused many deaths in Mogadishu.cite news
title=SOMALIA: At least 12 killed in Mogadishu fighting
url=http://www.preventgenocide.org/prevent/news-monitor/2002feb.htm
publisher=IRIN
date=2002-02-26
accessdate=2007-02-07]

Hussein Aidid, Yalahow and Finish all joined the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in November 2004.

Notable personnel

* Mohamed Farrah Aidid
* Ali Mahdi Muhammad
* Mohamed Qanyare Afrax
* Musa Sudi Yalahow
* Omar Muhamoud Finnish

Timeline of the USC

* 1989–1991 USC foundation to the overthrow of Siad Barre
* 1991–1992 Mohammed Aidid (USC Aidid) vs. Ali Mahdi Mohammed (USC Mahdi) until the foundation of the USC/SNA
* 1992–1995 USC/SNA and USC/SSA during the UN interventions
* 1995–1998 USC/SNA vs. USC/SSA after the UN departure until the reconciliation
* 1998–2001 USC/SSA infighting between Ali Mahdi Mohammed and Musa Sudi Yalahow
* 2001–2003 USC/SSA infighting between Musa Sudi Yalahow (SRRC) vs. Omar Muhamoud Finnish (TNG)
* 2004–present USC in context of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG)

By 2004, whatever had been known as the USC initially had devolved greatly into the hands of individual warlords such as Musa Sudi Yalahow and Omar Finish.

References

ee also

* Politics of Somalia
* Somali Civil War
* Factions in the Somali Civil War

External links

* [http://www.worldtravelguide.net/data/som/som580.asp World Travel Guide - History and Government of Somalia]
*Dagne, Ted (2002). " [http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/7959.pdf Africa and the War on Terrorism] ". "CRS Report for Congress", Washington (DC):Library of Congress.