Abdillahi Askar

Abdillahi Askar (Somali: Cabdillaahi Askar Barkhad; 1947 – 29 August 2010) was a Colonel of the Somali National Movement (SNM).

Mujahid Abdillahi Askar Barkhad
Born	1947 Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
Died	29 August 2010 Hargeisa, Somaliland
Political party	Somali National Movement (SNM)

Biography

Ad

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Relation map.
Ad=Addis Ababa, Aw=Aware, Di=Dire Dawa, Ga=Gashamo, Ha=Hargeisa

Abdillahi Askar was born in 1947 in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. He enlisted in the Somali Armed Forces and trained as an officer in the Soviet Union.^[1]

Establishment of SNM

In 1981, the Somali National Movement (SNM) was founded in London, England, with the goal of opposing the Somali dictatorship.^{[citation needed]}

Shortly after the establishment of the SNM, SNM military bases were created in Gashamo and Aware, and Askar became commander of one of the bases in the Aware area. The deputy commander was Dayib Gurey.^[2]

Operation Birjeex

Commemorative photo after the rescue. Abdillahi Askar is in the center of the front row.

In December 1982, the SNM sent Abdisalan Turki and Abdillahi Askar from Gashamo in eastern Ethiopia to Hargeisa.^[3] In April 1983, Abdillahi Askar arrived in Hargeisa.^{[4] [3]} On April 8 he was arrested in an old movie theater.^[5]

Eleven people belonging to the SNM were to rescue Abdillahi Askar. This was later dubbed Operation Birjeex. The SNM team led by Ibrahim Ismail Koodbur rescued him with two casualties.^[5]

SNM's counterattack

In November 1984, the SNM invaded the former British Somaliland by dividing its forces into three units: western, central, and eastern, with Askar leading the western unit. The western contingent lost 347 of its 383 men killed; the SNM as a whole lost the war this time.^[6]

On May 31, 1988, the SNM again invaded Somaliland, and Abdillahi occupied Hargeisa as one of the SNM's Colonels.^[5][7]

Death and legacy

On August 29, 2010, He died in Hargeisa. The funeral of the deceased was attended by the President of Somaliland and hundreds of Somalilanders.^[1]

Later, the Abdillahi Askar Military Academy, named after him, was established in Dararweyne (east of Hargaysa) and graduated its first class in 2020.^[8]