After the fall of the military regime in the early 1990s, the country went into bloody civil war and power struggle between diverse groups and factions who waged wars against the Barre’s regime. Then ideas of federalism based on clan politics, Radical Wahabi version of Islam also emerged in Somalia. However, what has fueled all these centra-fugal notions and exacerbated the situation was the excessive political, and military intervention on Somali’s domestic issues by the international community.
The 11 September was a benchmark for new American foreign policy towards Somalia, the Bush administration launched what he called “war-on terror” after the bombings of the New York twin-towers. The US government wanted to contain Somalia’s Islamist movements within Somalia as the country has no effective government in control American government approached the faction leaders and war lords in Somalia as well as the neighboring countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya who have been the arch enemy of Somalia as they both control Somali’s lost territories in Ogaden and NFD.
The clan politics
Since the birth of the state as sovereign entity in 1960 the Somali political system was
vulnerable because of clan ideology which is quite different what state would supposed to be
like. People of the republic and the political elites were more entertaining what is quite
inferior to the ideas of “nation hood” “state hood” as Professor Samter argued in his writing
about Somali clan issues, which is clannish, and clan politics in which they discriminate people on
clan bases most of political parties had hidden clan agenda rather than national vision
The Somali military government of 1969, led by Said Barre at the begging tried to divert clan traditional politics into the communal society under the concept of “scientific socialism” the revolution clearly declared anti-clan campaign and called to the people for unity and integrity Barre’s invented the word Jaalle (brother) and abolished the pre-existed term of Ina-adeer(kinship).
However, the same regime lately re-started the clan politics late 1978 to use ‘divide and rule’ tactics to create loyal clans mainly the Daarood clan after the Ethio-Somali war in the 1977-8. The hostile clans started plotting against Barre’s regime and plan to overthrow the regime, clan-based opposition movements were established since post Ogden war in the 1977/78; almost all of them lacked national vision or agenda, each clan has his own narrow interest over the national sentiment, clan right, clan
identity, clan territory, become the language and the phrase of the day.
The consequence of those opposition movements resulted as clan unity and disintegration of
nation which means people selected unconsciously primordial system of life, or what
Hobbes called “state of nature” which is for him ‘state of anarchy’ and mistrust.
Hypothetically, Somalis took wrong direction which is from unified nation into fragmented warring clans, and the legacy was clan hegemony against peaceful egalitarian coexistence, clan militia overruling against clan defense struggle and finally clan territorial expansion against active or passive acts of hatred and revenges.
Since clan interest is, generally contrary to the national interest in Somalia, armed opposition a
movement post the 1991, were unable to work for fair power sharing and re establishment of
a national entity (government).what was a political mistake more than quarter century were
repeated again.
As the political situation, deteriorated year after year starting from the 1978, armed struggle
against the system mushroomed the officially stated of those belligerents were democracy
and justice.
However, in practical almost every clan and sub-clan had its own unique hidden
agenda. And there is no trust, or national agenda between the clan oriented centrifugal
groups, the alliance were fragile, and the aim of each movement was different the only
common enemy they had was Said Barre’s regime. In such a suspicious environment nothing was done, but a chain of anarchy and instability of today, all faction names were started with the term
Somalia, unfortunately no movement acted for Somali interest all opposition groups were
clan minded and their immediate goal was personal ambition, and pursue their own strategy to gain power or collect wealth that was supported blindly by their clan members.
Political and military interventions by the international Community
Since the central government of Somalia disintegrated in 1991, the country, become a plat form
of foreign controversy and contradicting ideologies and interests, and was employed direct
or indirect by different actors in the Somali:
A) – the US policy towards Somalia:
The united state of America was interested to establish good relations with Somalia after its
independent, because of the cold war reason and due to the Somalia’s geographically and strategic position in the horn of Africa. Unluckily from time to time, the interest of eastern and western powers and their unlimited interests become a curse to the country.
However, after the end of the cold war, the US interest to Somalia was terminated, because of the
collapse of the state and the civil war. Later 1992, the American interest retuned because of
the ‘humanitarian disaster’ in Somalia, and America’s expansion to the former Soviet clients in Africa, but unfortunately, ‘the good’ will mission ended in catastrophe and left behind a dark chapter in US-Somalia relations after hundreds of Somalis and 18 American soldiers were killed at Mogadishu as clash between a Somali faction leader called General Aidiid, and the UNISOM erupted and turn into Street battle in Somalia.
Eight years later America’s interest to Somalia renewed, but this time, it was quite differed about
humanitarian, or good will, 11September, 2001 was a black day for America and the
capitalist world; the collapse of twin towers in New York, and destruction of pentagon
building caused by kidnapped American airplanes. US suspected Al-Qaida elements in Somalia
made the country next target to Afghanistan as declared George Bush, the US president at
that time.
The US suspicion about the Union of the Islamic courts in Somalia , as agent that is harboring international terrorism in Somalia exacerbated the political situation of Somalia, which was essentially anarchic, when the Islamist come to the power, the United States did not recognize them, as legitimate Administration however, the group at least gained popular support in the southren regions of the country. There was continues allegations and contra
allegation; between Yusuf’s government backed by the Ethiopians and US and the UIC leadership in Mogadishu , The so-called transitional federal of Somalia lacked both legitmate power and hard power to enforce law and order in Somalia and many Somalis saw that government a puppet government that sentiment prompted to the Yusuf’s government lack of popular support of locals and worked as exile government of Somalia.
However, Mr. Yusuf was built by the American and Ethiopians as a contra-measure to the Union of Islamic courts that time. A transitional federal government was built outside of Somalia in Kenya led by Abdullahi Yusuf who was historically a pro-Ethiopian politician and in control the Puntland region of Somalia.
There were also federal transitional parliament and a federal charter that was based on four point five (4.5) which was seen as a new divide and rule, because government recognized only four major pastoralist clans in Somalia.
Furthermore that, Somalia had never practiced in history a kind of federal system, which
was quite ambiguous for Somalis and not reflecting the reality at the ground.
B) – Regional in security and proxy wars:
The border stalemate and underlying problems of authoritarian political process and fragile
governments in Ethiopia and Eretria are inherently linked to a large conflict in the horn of
Africa. Both of two governments have demonstrated the capacity and the willingness to
conduct proxy wars against each other in the region. Armed insurgent groups such as the
ONLF, and OLF, as well as EPPF, have had offices in Asmara, Eretria has provided
sanctuary and military assistance to these groups and has sought to infiltrate fighters into
Ethiopia through Sudan and more importantly, Somalia. The Ethiopian government
attributed a series of 2006 bombasts against the civilian targets in Addis Ababa and other
cities due to explosives provided by Eretria.
In a same scenario to the above, Ethiopia had supported fragments of Eretria liberation front
(ELF), and the Eritrean national alliances (ENA) as well as other liberation movements.
Interventions by proxy have been less risky method of a conflict rather than direct and high
scale of confrontation, but are likely to escalate unless the underlined issue are solved .
In addition to that, Ethiopia and Eretria attempted to compete by supporting rival partiers in
neighboring states .Addis Ababa supported Abdullah Yusuf and dysfunctional TFG in
Somalia. Consistent with deeply ingrained patterns of giving support to the enemy of one’s
enemy, Eretria had provided arms to a wide range of anti Ethiopian forces in Somalia,
hoping to tie Ethiopian forces down in the Ogaden.
According to the a 2006 UN report, and diplomatic source estimates 6000 to 8000 Ethiopian force and 2000 of Eritrean troops to be in Somalia supporting their respective allies ,and there is a fear that Somalia end up a battle field for armed conflict between Ethiopia and Eretria in near future . Renewed conflict in Mogadishu in May and June 2006 pitted a US-supported anti terror Alliance in a failed
attempt to capture several Somalis linked to Al Qaida and implications in the 1998
bombings of US Embassy in East Africa.
The role Arab gulf-states, Isreal and the Turkish government in Somalia
After nearly, two decades of federalism and excessive political conflict in between the Somalia federal government and the regional federal member administrations over the power and resources. It became clear that differences between those entities were getting larger and larger. This tag of war between the federal government in Mogadishu and its regional governments centra-fugal and the successionist groups in the north, currently ‘Somaliland’ attacked so many of state actors who have contradictory interest on Somali’s geographic position and its resources.
The role Arabs and Turkish government in Somalia
The Arab Gulf states and the Turkish government are major competing and occasionally cooperating powers in Somalia. As of early 2026, Turkey has emerged as Somalia’s most deeply embedded strategic partner, while relations with the UAE have deteriorated sharply following a series of diplomatic rifts.
Turkey’s role has evolved from humanitarian assistance in 2011 to becoming a primary guarantor of Somalia’s security and economic assets. The Turkish president Erdogan managed to gain the heart and the mind of the Somali nation due to his humanitarian interventions and relentless direct support to the Somali government and the people. Many Somalis seen Turkish intervention as a return of the old friend of Somalia during the Othman empire the Turkish government provided
Security & Defense assistance to Somalia. Turkey operates its largest overseas military base, Camp TURKSOM, in Mogadishu.
In 2024, it signed a 10-year Defense and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement to rebuild the Somali Navy and patrol its coastline. In early 2026, Turkey reportedly deployed F-16 fighter jets and attack helicopters to assist the Somali National Army (SNA) In addition to that the Turkish government supports reconstruction programs as well as oil exploring and exploitation in Somalia.
The role of the Saudis and the Qatari governments in Somalia:
Saudi Arabia and Qatar have recently filled the vacuum left by the UAE’s fallout, aligning more closely with Turkey and the Somali federal government.
Saudi Arabia: In February 2026, Somalia and Saudi Arabia signed a military cooperation agreement. Saudi Arabia has increasingly positioned itself as a defender of Somalia’s sovereignty against external maritime claims.
However, Qatar remains a significant financial and diplomatic partner, investing roughly $200 million in infrastructure projects. It signed a military cooperation deal with Somalia in early 2026, just weeks before Saudi Arabia signed the agreement with Somalia.
Isreali’s role in Somalia:
Isreal has never had good relations with Somalia, due to differences in the issue of Palestine and Isreal has been supporting Somali’s arch enemy, the Ethiopia since the Ogaden war in 1977. However, In December 2025, Israel became the first UN member state to officially recognize Somaliland as an independent nation, Somaliland has been a successionist region of Somalia since the 1991, but nobody recognized officially, the Israeli recognition of Somaliland were seen by Somalis as a blatant aggression on Somali’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and a direct serious threat to the Somali statehood and nationhood in the horn of Africa. Marking a major shift to secure strategic maritime footholds in the Red Sea and counter Iranian-backed threats. This move aims to establish partnerships with regional actors, providing Israel with potential naval/air access and intelligence capabilities, while causing friction with the Somali federal government.
Recognition of Somaliland: On December 26, 2025, Israel announced official recognition of Somaliland, a breakaway region that has functioned independently from Somalia since 1991, aiming to support a stable partner in a volatile region. The move is largely motivated by the need to secure maritime routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden due to Houthi attacks in Yemen.
Regional Counterbalance: Israel aims to counter the influence of Iran and extremist groups in the region.
Written by Omar Ahmed