DETAILS OF ARMS TRAFFICKING AND SUPPORT NETWORK FOR SOMALI WARLORD "AIDEED"

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06834387
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: June 29, 2020
• Case Number: F-2019-00938
• Publication Date: September 16, 1993

Approved for Release: 2020/03/06 C06834387
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Classified By: UNSPECIFIED
Classification Reason: UNSPECIFIED
Declassify On: April 26, 2042
(SpirrSUBJ: DETAILS OF ARMS TRAFFICKING AND SUPPORT NETWORK FOR
SOMALI WARLORD "AIDEED"
Identifiers:
Dates:
Date Published:
Date Received:
Coverage:
CIA Country Code:
Region:
16-Sep-1993 20:29:00
16-Sep-1993 21:29:38
ETH, SOM
AFRICA, ETHIOPIA, SOMALIA
Publisher:
Agency Acronym: CIA
Office Name: NCS
Warnings:
(S//NF)
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
(U) CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
(U) INFORMATI9N REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. REPORT
CLASS S Ec/A. E T--WNINTEL--NOFORN DIST: 16 SEPTEMBER 1993
(U) REPORT CLASS S IQR E T--WARNING -INTELLIGENCE SOURCES OR METHODS
INVOLVFD--NOT RELEASABLF TO FORFIGN NATIONALS--NOT RFLFASABLF TO
lo.LL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF
OVERALL DOCUMENT.> END OF MESSAGE SERET
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SUMMARY (b)(1)
THE CITY OF GODE, ETHIOPIA IS THE CENTER FOR ARMS TRAFFICKING AND SUPPORT FOR SOMALli(t(b)(1)
WARLORD AIDEED. THE ARMS FROM SUDAN, ETHIOPIA AND NOR`MERN SOMALIA WHICH REACH MOGADISHU-ARE (b)(3)
PRIMARILYrOlTAIDEED.WEIV1BERS OF SEVERAL OGADEN! GROUPS AREITCYSTIEff TO THE TRANSITIONAL
GOVERNMENT OTOPIA (TGE) AND SOMALI NATIONALISTS AND MUSLIMS IN THE OGADENI IN THE GODE REGION
ARE SYMPATHETIC TO AIDEED'S STRUGGLE AGAINST THE UNOSOM FORCES IN MOGADISHU. MANY HAVE JOINED
AIDEED'S FORCES AND' ARE ARE EITHER AWAITING INDICATIONS OF AIDEED'S STRENGTH AND SUCCESS
Kb-W-BYUNOSOM BEFORE COMMITTING THEMSLVES. THE AL-ITIHAAD GrrID F=IrCEIVES FINANCING FROM SAUDI
ARABIA AND KUWAIT, AND THE AL-ITIHAAD IN GODE RECEIVES FUNDS AND DIRECTIVES FOR ITS REPRESENTATIVE IN
DJIBOUTI. THE TGE PRESENCE IS LIMITED TO A FEW GARRISONS OF TIGRAYAN TROOPS WHO DO NOT SPEAK THE
LOCAL DIALECTS AND ARE INCAPABLE OF MONITORING OR STOPPING THE ARMS TRAFFICKING, RECRUITMENT AND
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TRAINING OF SOMALIS IN THE REGION. 1 (b)(1)
THE CITY OF GODE, ETHIOPIA (06-06N, 43-01E) IS THE NERVE (b)(3)
CENTER OF ARMS TRAFFICKING, SUPPORT FOR SOMALI WARLORD ((MOHAMED)) FARAH HASSAN AIDEED, SOMALI
NATIONALISM, ANb ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA. THE ARMS FROM SUDAN,-ETRUPIA AND
NORTHERN SOMALIA WHICH REACH MOGADISHU ARE PRIMARILY FOR AIDEErWit ARMS FROM SUDAN ARRIVE
OVERLAND rgoivrovVAN (APPROXIMATELY 04-48N, 35-33E) AND LOKWA141-015ROXIMKffE7 05-09N, 35-50E) ON THE
SUDAN SIDE OF THE ETHIOPIAN BORDER THROUGH DANDE (04-47N, 36-26E), FEJIJ (04-36N, 36-21E), ARERO (04-45N,
41-47E) AND MEGA (04-03N, 38-18E) TO GODE. THE MAIN MEANS OF TRANSPORT IS BY CAMEL AND DONKEY
CARAVAN, ALTHOUGH OCCASIONALLY WEALTHIER MERCHANTS USE TOYOTA LAND CRUISERS. FROM GODE, THE
ARMS ARE SENT TO MOGADISHU VIA DENAN (06-31N, 43-30E) AND HILALA (06-06N, 43-50E) AND BELET WEYNE (04-
45N, 45-12E). LESS FREQUENTLY, ARMS ARRIVE IN GODE FROM THE NORTHERN OGADEN AND NORTHWESTERN
SOMALIA (SOMALILAND).
(S)4F) 2.COMMENT: THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT CONTROLS LITTLE OF THE BORDER AREA (b)(1)
NOTED AS THE CROSSING POINT FOR ARMS FROM SUDAN TO SOMALIA. ARMS CROSSING THE FAR SOUTHEAST (b)(3)
CORNER OF SUDAN MAY BE COMING FROM A MEMBER OF ONE OR MORE OF THE SUDAN PEOPLE'S LIBERATION
ARMY FACTIONS OR FROM INDEPENDENT PARTIES, SUCH AS TRIBAL MILITIAS, AND ARE PROBABLY PROVIDED FOR
MONETARY GAIN, RATHER THAN FOR IDEOLOGICAL REASONS.)
(Mt) 3. MOST OF THE TRIBESMEN IN THE AREA ARE MEMBERS OF OR SYMPATHETIC TO THE OGADEN NATIONAL
LIBERATION FRONT (ONLF), THE WESTERN SOMALI LIBERATION FRONT (WSLF), AND THE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST
ORGANIZATIONS OF AL-ITIHAAD AND TADAMO AND HOSTILE TO THE TIGRAYAN AND ERITREAN DOMINATED
TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA (TGE). AS SOMALI NATIONALISTS AND FELLOW MUSLIMS, THE MAJORITY
OF THE OGADEN! IN THE GODE REGION ARE SYMPATHETIC TO AIDEED'S STRUGGLE AGAINST THE UNOSOM
FORCES IN MOGADISHU. MANY HAVE TRAVELED TO MOGADISHU-Zan AIDEED'S FORCES; OTHERS ARE AWAITING
INDICATIONS OF AIDEED'S STRENGTH AND POSSIBILITIES OF SUCCESS Ab-KRSTONOSOM BEFORE COMMITTING
THEMSELVES. ANYONE WITH ACCESS TO WEAPONS, HOWEVER, IS ANXIOUS TO CASH IN ON THE LUCRATIVE ARMS
TRAFFICKING WITH BOTH AIDEED AND AL-ITIHAAD OFFERING TO BUY ANY TYPES OF ARMS AT PREMIUM PRICE-S. 4.
MOST OF THE AL-ITIHAAD rilatitING COMES FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND KUWAIT WHILrfgt HUMANIST TADAMO
ISLAMIC ORGANIZATION RECEIVES FUNDS FROM SUDAN AND SAUDI ARABIA. THE AL-ITIHAAD IN GODE RECEIVES
FUNDS AND DIRECTIVES FROM THE AL-ITIHAAD REPRESENTATIVE IN DJIBOUTI, ((AL- GAIDY)), WHO PERIODICALLY
VISITS THE REGION AND HIS OFFICE IN DIRE DAWA. AL-GAIDY'S OFFICE IS LOCATED IN THE INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC
RELIEF ORGANIZATION OFFICE HEADED BY ((JILLAL)), AN ADERI TRIBESMAN FROM HARAR. IN LATE AUGUST 1993,
AL-QAIDY VISITED GODE TO DELIVER 1,500 TONS OF FOODSTUFFS FOR AL-ITIHAAD WHICH HAD ARRIVED IN
ETHIOPIA VIA THE ERITREAN PORT OF ASSAB.
c$trA F) 5. THE LEADER OF AL-ITIHAAD IN GODE IS ((ALI)) KHALIF. THE LEADER OF TADAMO IS ((MOHAMED))
ABDULKARIM ABDIRAHMAN "GANI." AL- ITIHAAD CONTINUES TO PREACH ITS MILITANT, ANTI-WESTERN, ANTI-
CHRISTIAN AND ANTI-TGE MESSAGE, WHILE TADAMO ATTEMPTS TO PROJECT A NON-MILITANT "HUMANE" FRONT.
MOST OF AL-ITIHAAD'S MEMBERS ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF TADAMO. ONLY THE LEADERSHIP IS DIFFERENT, AND THIS
IS FOR THE SAKE OF APPEARANCES RATHER THAN SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCES. MOST OF THE RANK-AND-FILE
MEMBERS OF THE ONLF AND WSLF ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF EACH OTHER'S ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS OF AL-
ITIHAAD AND TADAMO. THE OGADEN! IN THIS REGION VIEW THEIR FELLOWS AS BEING MEMBERS OF THE SAME
FAMILY AND MEMBERSHIP IN THE VARIOUS POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE REGION IS NOT
FORMAL, BUT LOOSE; IF NOT ACTUAL MEMBERS, DUE TO TRIBAL PRESSURES, CLAN AND FAMILY LOYALTIES, ALL
THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE SYMPATHIZERS AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THEM.
eANn 6. COMMENT: IT MAY BE AN OVERSTATEMENT THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE ONLF AND W(b)(1 )
K AND FILE ARE MEMBERS/FELLOW TRAVELERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. GIVEN THE RECENT SHAKEUP It(b)(3)
THE REGION 5 GOVERNMENT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT AL-ITIHAAD AND AL-TADAMUN ARE BECOMING SIGNIFICANT
POLITICAL PLAYERS BUT NOT SUB-GROUPS TO WHICH EVERYONE BELONGS AND/OR SUPPORTS.)
(TP4') 7. NEARLY ALL OF THE OGADEN! IN THE REGION ARE MEMBERS OF THE MOHAMED ZUBAYR CLAN AND THE
R R ABDULI AND RER ISSAK SUBCLANS. THE MAJORITY OF THE MALES IN THE REGION ARE ARMED; THOSE WHO
NEED TRAINING, REGARDLESS OF AFFILIATION, DO SO IN ONLF MILITIA CAMPS. THE TGE PRESENCE IN THE REGION
IS LIMITED TO A FEW GARRISONS OF TIGRAYAN TROOPS AND POLICE OFFICIALS WHO DO NOT SPEAK THE LOCAL
DIALECTS, ARE FROM NORTHERN ETHIOPIA, AND WHO HAVE ADOPTED POLICIES OF NON-INTERFERENCE AND "LIVE
AND LET LIVE." TGE FORCES ARE OUTNUMBERED BY THE ARMED AND SEMI-ORGANIZED SOMALIS IN THE REGION,
AND SEEK TO AVOID ANY ACTIONS WHICH MIGHT ANTAGONIZE LOCAL SENSIBILITIES OR FURTHER INFLAME SOMALI
NATIONALIST FEELINGS. THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF MONITORING OR STOPPING THE ARMS TRAFFICKING,
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RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF SOMALIS IN THE REGION. THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO LACK OF AVAILABLE FORCES AS
WELL AS CORRUPTION. AL-ITIHAAD, FLUSH WITH FUNDS FROM SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT AND IRAN, MAKES REGULAR,
LARGE PAYMENTS TO TGE POLICE AND MILITARY OFFICIALS IN THE REGION.
Collection:
CC
Descrintion.
(U1
HE CITY OF GODE, ETHIOPIA IS THE CENTER FOR
ARMS TRAFFICKING AND SUPPORT FOR SOMALIA WARLORD AIDEED. THE ARMS
F-R-Oril SUDAN, ETHIOPIA AND NORTHERN�SUKADA WHICH REACH M-OGADISHU
ARE PRIMARILY FOR AIDEED. MEMBERS drSIVE-R-AL OGADEN! GROUPS ARE
HOSTILE TO THE TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA (TGE) AND SOMALI
NATIONALISTS AND MUSLIMS IN THE OGADEN! IN THE GODE REGION ARE
SYMPATHETIC TO AIDEED'S STRUGGLE AGAINST THE UNOSOM FORCES IN
MOGADISHU. MANY HAVE JOINED AIDEED'S FORCES AND OTHERS ARE EITHER
AWAITING INDICATIONS OF AIDEEEPS STRENGTH AND SUCCESS AGAINST
UNOSOM BEFORE COMMITTING THEMSLVES. THE AL-ITIHAAD GROUP RECEIVES
FINANCING FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND KUWAIT, AND THE AL-ITIHAAD IN GODE
RECEIVES FUNDS AND DIRECTIVES FOR ITS REPRESENTATIVE IN DJIBOUTI. THE
TGE PRESENCE IS LIMITED TO A FEW GARRISONS OF TIGRAYAN TROOPS WHO DO
NOT SPEAK THE LOCAL DIALECTS AND ARE INCAPABLE OF MONITORING OR
STOPPING THE ARMS TRAFFICKING, RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF SOMALIS IN
THE REGION.
Distribution List.
Language:
en
Precedence:
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Subject:
None
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