The Chief of Defence Force (Somali: Taliyaha Ciidanka Xooga Somaaliyeed) is the professional head of the Somali Armed Forces. He is responsible for the administration and the operational control of all branches of the Somali military (Army, Navy and Air Force) and thus is the direct superior to both the Chief of the Navy and the Chief of the Air Force. The post has however only been held by Army officers and the term limit is 2 years.[citation needed] Typically the rank held by the Chiefs is brigadier general, though some, notable Dahir Adan Elmi were granted the rank of major general.
Chief of the General Staff | |
---|---|
Taliyaha Ciidanka Xooga Somaaliyeed (Somali) | |
since 9 November 2024 | |
Ministry of Defense and Somali Armed Forces | |
Style | Jaale |
Type | Chief of staff |
Status | Highest ranking military officer |
Abbreviation | CXDS |
Appointer | President of Somalia |
Term length | 2 years |
Formation | 12 April 1960 |
First holder | Daud Abdulle Hirsi |
Unofficial names | Commander of the Somali Armed Forces, Commander of the Somali National Army[1] |
Odawa Raage served from 22 August 2019 to June 2023. He was promoted to major-general in the last days of his tenure, being listed as such in a Somali government briefing of June 21, 2023.[2][3]He was reappointed on 9 November 2024.[4]
List of Chiefs
editSomali Republic and Somali Democratic Republic (1960–1991)
editNo. | Portrait | Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jaale Major general Daud Abdulle Hirsi (1925–1965) | 12 April 1960 | 1965 † | 4–5 years | [5] | |
2 | Jaale Major general Siad Barre (1910–1995) | 1965 | 1969 | 3–4 years | [6] | |
3 | Jaale Lieutenant general Ali Samatar (1931–2016) | 1969 | 1991 | 17–18 years | – |
Transitional Federal Government (2004–2012)
editNo. | Portrait | Chief of Army | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ismail Qasim Naji | Major general15 April 2005 | 10 February 2007 | 1 year, 301 days | [7] | |
2 | Abdullahi Ali Omar (born 1947) | Major general10 February 2007 | 21 July 2007 | 161 days | [8][9] [10] | |
3 | Salah Hassan Jama | Major general21 July 2007 | 11 June 2008 | 326 days | [11] | |
4 | Said Dheere Mohamed | Major general11 June 2008 | 14 May 2009 | 337 days | [12] | |
5 | Yusuf Osman Dhumal | Major general15 May 2009 | 6 December 2009 | 205 days | [13] | |
6 | Mohamed Gelle Kahiye | Major general6 December 2009 | 6 September 2010 | 274 days | [14] | |
7 | Ahmed Jimale Gedi | Major general6 September 2010 | 29 March 2011 | 204 days | - | |
8 | Abdulkadir Sheikh Dini | Major general29 March 2011 | 13 March 2013 | 1 year, 349 days | [15][16] |
Federal Government (2012–present)
editNo. | Portrait | Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dahir Adan Elmi | Major general13 March 2013 | 25 June 2014 | 1 year, 104 days | [16] | |
2 | Abdullahi Anod | Major general25 June 2014 | 24 September 2015 | 1 year, 91 days | [17] | |
3 | Mohamed Adam Ahmed (born 1950) | Major general24 September 2015 | 5 April 2017 | 1 year, 193 days | [16] | |
4 | Ahmed Mohamed Jimale | Major general5 April 2017 | 12 October 2017 | 190 days | [18] | |
5 | Abdiweli Jama Hussein Gorod | Major general12 October 2017 | 16 August 2018 | 308 days | [19] | |
(1) | Dahir Adan Elmi | Major general16 August 2018 | 27 August 2020 | 2 years, 11 days | [20] | |
6 | Odowaa Yusuf Rageh | Major general27 August 2020 | 19 June 2023 | 2 years, 296 days | [21] | |
7 | Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow | Major general19 June 2023 | 9 November 2024 | 1 year, 143 days | [16] | |
8 | Odowaa Yusuf Rageh | Major general9 November 2024 | Incumbent | 28 days | [22] |
References
edit- ^ "Federal Government of Somalia's Weekly Briefing". 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Federal Government of Somalia's Weekly Briefing". 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Dismissed but Not Defeated: General Odowa Speaks Out on Armed Forces and Future Plans". 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Somali Cabinet Backs Former Army Chief for Return Stint". Bloomberg News. 10 November 2024.
- ^ Ehrenreich, Frederick (1982). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold N. (ed.). Somalia: a country study (PDF). Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 238. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ^ Ehrenreich 1982, p. 238.
- ^ "Somali cabinet fills key posts". Al Jazeera. 14 April 2005. Archived from the original on 18 September 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2007.
- ^ "Somalia's army commander sacked as new ambassadors are appointed". Shabelle Media Network. 10 April 2007. Archived from the original on 14 November 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ State collapse and post-conflict ... 12 November 1998. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ "Peaceful day for Somalia reconciliation conference". Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ "Somalia's Interim President Appoints New Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces" Archived 4 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine hiiraan.com
- ^ "Somali president names new military chief amid insurgent push" Archived 14 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine topnews.in
- ^ "Somalia fires heads of police force and military" Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine reuters.com
- ^ "Somali president fires top commanders" Archived 4 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine hiiraan.com
- ^ "Salad Gabeyre Kediye Was a Brigadier General in the Somali Military and a Revolutionary". Banaadir Weyne. 2 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Somalia changes its top military commanders". Shabelle Media Network. 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "SOMALIA: President Mohamud fires senior military commanders". Raxanreeb. 25 June 2014. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ^ "Somali Defense Minister, Army Chief Resign". 12 October 2017. Archived from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ^ "Army chief Gorod replaced as Farmaajo kicks out close ally from Villa Somalia". 16 August 2018. Archived from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ^ "General Dahir Adan Elmi Has Been Reappointed as the Commander of the SNA".
- ^ "Somalia National Army Get the Youngest Commander in History".
- ^ "Somali Cabinet Backs Former Army Chief for Return Stint". Bloomberg News. 10 November 2024.