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https://twitter.com/ltkhalifa/status/1755407908433482237

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Lt Khalifa

@LtKhalifa

Mar 8

THREAD 🧵: How the Siad Barre government helped facilitate Djibouti’s independence from France, and in return got betrayed.

Djibouti was the last French African colony to achieve independence.

The French were among the earliest colonial powers to establish a foothold in the Horn of Africa.

In their efforts to spread Christianity, the French were notably proactive, in establishing several Christian missions in British Somaliland during the 19th century. These missions aimed to convert Somalis to Christianity, a task that involved both direct engagement and long-term efforts to influence local communities.

A particularly notable figure in this missionary endeavour was Alexis Mariano, who was the father of Michael Mariano, a prominent Somali politician who rose to prominence during independence and the era of 1960–1969.

The French were among the most brutal colonisers, their hatred for Muslims was deeply rooted in their colonial mindset.

During the French occupation of parts of the Middle East, a French general named Henri Gouraud infamously kicked the grave of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi and declared, “We are back,” a statement that symbolized the return of the Crusades.

Read 24 tweets

Lt Khalifa

@LtKhalifa

Oct 11, 2024

Thread 🧵: 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫?

For years, the popular belief has been that Siad Barre’s regime was strictly secular and inherently opposed to Islam.

But is this narrative really accurate? In this thread, I’ll dive deep to challenge that assumption.

Below is the first Somali president, Aden Adde, bowing before the Pope at the Vatican.

Let's dive in

Table of contents:

The attitude Somalis have towards their anti-colonial resistance heroes

The Christian missionaries and their relationship with the SYL

The foundational Christian figures of the SYL, Michael Mariano and Lewis Clement Salool

The Mennonite Mission and Professor Eby of the Eastern Mennonite University

The Current President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud an Alumni of the Eastern Mennonite University

The Murder of Merlin Grove and the Civilian Government lifting the ban on Christian missionaries in 1962

Aden Adde arrests religious figures who opposed Latin script

Michael Mariano’s remark to Siad Barre

Ayan Hirsi the daughter of Hirsi Ali Magan who was the co-founder of the SSDF

The SRC and Islam

The SRC combating Shia sectarianism

The Mennonite Mission under the Somali Democratic Republic ( SDR )

William Donald McClure and the WSLF

Unveiling the Truth: Debunking the Myth of Siad Barre’s Hijab Ban

Siad Barre’s Haram Police - Buno Costuma

Siad’s relationship with Marx

Colonial Resistance

During the Scramble for Africa, the British established a colonial administration in Northern Somalia.

Among their early secular policies was the prohibition of the Adhan (call to prayer) in Berbera.

In response, Sayid Mohamed Abdullah Hassan began publicly preaching against British secular policies in the region and condemned the consumption of Khat.

However, his efforts were met with hostility from the local population, who derogatorily referred to him as "Wadaad Waal" meaning "Mad Mullah."

Ali Jaama a notable poet from Berbera composed a scathing poem that ridiculed the Sayyid referring to him as ‘Mohamed the Lunatic’.

This pejorative label “Mad Mullah” or “Wadaad Waal” was subsequently adopted by the British to disparage the Sayid. Despite this, Sayid Mohamed Abdullah Hassan went on to lead one of the longest colonial resistance in Africa, opposing British rule for over 20 years. Upon his death, however, his legacy was met with controversy, as Somalis looted his grave and destroyed his house.

An indicator that Sayid Mohammed Abdullah Hassan was unpopular was the fact that Mohamed Ali Dalmar, Siad’s first political opponent, described Siad Barre as the second coming of the Sayyid.

Read 28 tweets

Lt Khalifa

@LtKhalifa

Aug 9, 2024

THREAD 🧵: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐫 1977-1978

The Ogaden War was one of the most significant & complex wars in the 20th century.

This war witnessed the involvement of Catholic orders and Israeli Mossad involvement.

Soviet-Cuban aircraft were landing every 20 minutes to drop off supplies to counter the Somali invasion.

The Ogaden War Revisited

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬:

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗼-𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗬𝗟 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗢𝗶𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗬𝗟 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵

𝗢𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗶𝗮𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲

𝗦𝗶𝗮𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 ( 𝗢𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 )

𝗦𝗶𝗮𝗱’𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆

𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗿

𝗔𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗿

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗿

𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀

𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘄𝗮, 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀
𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗶𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘄𝗮

𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗦𝗶𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗶 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮 ?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘁-𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀

𝗩𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗿

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹𝗶 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🇮🇱

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮 🇪🇹🇮🇱

𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘂 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗻-𝗦𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗿

𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀

𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘁-𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 - 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗗𝗥 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗪𝗦𝗟𝗙 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 90% 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗦𝗟𝗙 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘀

1/28

The history of Somali Galbeed (Ogaden) is rich. Multiple Somali Islamic sultanates were formed, such as the Adal Sultanate, which flourished in trade, architecture, and antiquity.

The Adal Sultanate was one of the most technologically advanced states in Africa, utilizing cannons and firearms as early as the 1400s.

It’s also important to not forget that many great Somali historical figures originate from the Western Somali region, such as the likes of Imam Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al Ghazi, Sa’adin, Ahmed Girri Bin Hussein, Emir Nur, Garad Matan, the Walasma dynasty, Garad Mahfuz, Garad Wiil Waal, Sayid Mohamed Abdullah Hassan and many more great figures.

The western Somali region is also rich in archaeology, recent archaeological studies from Cambridge reveal that Somalis dominated the central Ethiopian highlands in trade and antiquity.

Read 29 tweets

Lt Khalifa

@LtKhalifa

Jul 27, 2024

Sheikh Hassan Hussein on Siad Barre’s administration countering Iranian Shia influence 🇮🇷

1/4 🧵

2/4 Years later, the Iranian government invited a Somali National Alliance representative to Tehran, in which Khaimeini supplied arms to the Somali National alliance.

3/4 By 1995 Iran became one of the main suppliers for Aideed and the Somali National Alliance, the South Sudanese People’s Liberation was also a main supplier to Aideed.

Read 5 tweets

Lt Khalifa

@LtKhalifa

Jul 1, 2024

THREAD 🧵 : SNM vs The Somali Democratic Republic 🇸🇴

Horn African Military insurgencies: 1/28

Ethiopian backed rebel group named the SNM waged an insurgency to overthrow the Somali government, By 1984 the SNM began attacking northern Somali cities with Ethiopian soldiers

Read along

𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

• Proto SNM and prelude 2-4

•SNM is born and declares war on the government 5 - 6

• SNM approach Ethiopia 6 - 7

•Northern protesters throw rocks at police 9/28

•Governor General Hashi Gani & Colonel Askar 10 - 11

•Battle of Ina Guuxa 12/28

•300 SNM soldiers are killed in one battle 13/28

• Silaanyo assassination attempt 14/28

• Silaanyo’s private meeting with Mengistu

•Battle of Balidhig 16 - 17

•Battle of Mustahil 18/28

•Battle of Burco & the account of Mr Tom the Rhodesian mercenary jet fighter 20 -21

•The battle of Hargeisa 24/28

•The international community's reaction to the 1988 bombings 25/28

•Northern rehabilitation & humanitarian program post 1988 bombings 26/28

•Battle of Erigavo 1989 - 27/28

2/28 According to CIA declassified documents: Haile Selassie was displeased and protested the union of British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland.

In December 1961 a group of British-trained Somali officers attempted an unsuccessful coup to restore the British Somaliland borders, this coup was backed by Ethiopia 🇪🇹. The two conspirators of the coup was an individual named “ Abdullahi Kongo”.

It was later revealed that the 1961 coup was Ethiopian backed.

Read 30 tweets

Lt Khalifa

@LtKhalifa

Jun 20, 2024

THREAD 🧵: On Muammar Gaddafi’s foreign policy in the Middle East-Africa and blasphemous remarks about Islam

In 1981, a pact was signed between Libya, South Yemen, and Ethiopia. This pact aimed to assassinate Siad Barre and Gafaar Numeiry, and to destabilize Arab nation-states such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Iraq, Chad, Oman and Sudan.

A Must read thread, read along

Muammar Gaddafi came into power via a military coup in 1969 September, a month earlier than Siad Barre ( 21st October 1969)

Gaddafi became the first Arab leader to support Iran over Iraq, one of Gaddafi’s main goals in Iraq was the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

In December 1982 a memorandum of understanding on “ cooperation in political, cultural and economic fields” was signed between Libya and Iran, Libya also supplied financial aid to Iran.

During the Iraq-Iran war, Gaddafi also supported Kurdish rebels fighting on behalf of Khomeini

𝗚𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗳𝗶’𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗺

In a videotape Gaddafi described the Hijab as the work of Satan, Gaddafi went to lengths to insult the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him ).

Gaddafi suggested the removal of the word “قل” from the Quran, in a speech Gaddafi encouraged Libyans to stop using the word ”قل”, his remarks about the Quran were condemned and Saudi scholars declared Gaddafi as a disbeliever.

On live national television, Gaddafi insulted the king of Saudi Arabia at a Qatar summit