Somali warlord alliance

The Somali Warlord Alliance, officially called the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT), was an alliance of Somali warlords set up with American backing to challenge the emerging influence of the Islamic Courts Union during the Somali Civil War.

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The International Crisis Group, which had direct contacts with the warlords, said in June 2006 that the CIA was funnelling $100,000 to $150,000 a month to the ARPCT.[1]

The Warlord Alliance included Botan Ise Alin, Mohammed Dheere,[2] Mohamed Qanyare, Musa Sudi Yalahow, Nuur Daqle, Abdi Hasan Awale Qeybdiid, Omar Muhamoud Finnish and others. Some of them were ministers in the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia.

Abdi Hasan Awale Qeybdiid defected from the alliance in June 2006, saying that "Since the formation of ARPCT, Mogadishu has been a centre of a military crisis that has led to the needless death of hundreds of people, therefore I decide to quit the alliance to build on the gains of the Islamic tribunals and give peace a chance,".[3]

The Warlord Alliance were involved in the 2006 Battle of Mogadishu.

Criticism of United States support

Michael Zorick (the U.S. State Department's political officer for Somalia), who had been stationed in Nairobi, was reassigned to Chad after he sent a cable to Washington criticizing Washington's policy of paying Somali warlords. The New York Times stated, "The American activities in Somalia have been approved by top officials in Washington and were reaffirmed during a National Security Council meeting about Somalia in March."[4]

On 7 June 2006, the Republic of the Congo's president and current African Union head, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, criticized the United States for its involvement in fighting in Mogadishu following his meeting with President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.[5]

References
  1. UN trying to clarify problems in Somalia- The Final Call - June 29, 2006 Archived December 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Intelligence Brief: I.C.U. Expels Warlords from Mogadishu Archived 2006-12-24 at the Wayback Machine PINR
  3. "US-backed Somali commander defects". Al Jazeera. 13 June 2006.
  4. Marc Lacey and Helene Cooper Efforts by C.I.A. Fail in Somalia, Officials Charge, The New York Times, 8 June 2006
  5. AU chair lashes US over Somalia Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine ANDnetwork 7 June 2006


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