Hussein Farrah Aidid

Hussein Mohamed Farrah Aidid (, ) (born August 16, 1962) is a Somali politician.

He is the son of General Mohamed Farrah Aidid. His father was leader of the Somali National Alliance (SNA), the faction that fought UNOSOM II and US forces during 1993. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served during Desert Storm, serving in the US military from 1987 to 1995. For two weeks he served as a translator for the UNITAF forces commander in Somalia. Farrah succeeded his father as leader of the SNA, and two days after his father's death, the SNA declared Farrah as the new President, although he too was not internationally recognized as such.

Farrah relinquished his claim as president in December 1997 by signing the Cairo Declaration. During the early 2000s, he opposed the newly formed Transitional National Government (TNG) as a member of the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC). He became a member of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) that was formed in 2004, backing the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia. Aidid later defected to the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) that was fighting against the Ethiopian military occupation.

Early life Born in Galkacyo, Farrah is a son of Mohamed Farrah Aidid and is sometimes known as Hussein Mohamed Farrah Aidid, Hussein Aidid or Aidid Junior. He emigrated to the United States when he was 17 years old, and attended Covina High School, Covina, California, graduating in 1981.

In 1987 he went to Citrus College in Glendora, California, and three years after California State University of California at Long Beach to study civil engineering. He served during Operation Desert Storm when B 1/14 was mobilized in support of that war. During an engineering class, two Marine officers had interrupted a lecture to inform him he was urgently needed in Somalia. Farrah was only in Somalia for two weeks during the operation. He served from December 18, 1992, to January 5, 1993, before returning home to the United States the next day. In the second half of the 1990s, different faction leaders vied for the Presidency, with none receiving international recognition. General Mohamed Farrah Aidid claimed to be President from June 15, 1995, to his death on August 1, 1996. Following this Hussein was sworn in as "interim President",

On December 17, 1996, rival warlord Ali Mahdi Mohamed attacked his headquarters, leaving 135 dead after five days of fighting in Mogadishu.

On December 22, 1997, he relinquished the disputed title of President by signing the Cairo Declaration, in Cairo, Egypt following a peace process between the Salbalar administration and the Soodare Group.

On March 30, 1998, Ali Mahdi Mohamed and Hussein Aidid signed a peace treaty in which they agreed to share power over Mogadishu, ending seven years of fighting following the ousting of Siad Barre. accusing it of "harboring militant Islamist sympathizers." Instead he formed the rival Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) in early 2001. During the early 2000s, Villa Somalia was under the control of Aidids SRRC and his militia used the Villa as a base to attack the TNG and forces loyal to it.

At some time during late 2001, he advised US President George W. Bush that a money transfer and telecommunications company, Al Barakaat, "had ties to terrorists and that there were terrorists in Somalia sympathetic to Osama bin Laden."

Transitional Federal Government (TFG)

Offices held:

Deputy Prime Minister (2005 – May 13, 2007) Minister of the Interior (2005 – February 7, 2007) Minister of Public Works and Housing (February 7, 2007 – December 2008)

On December 28, 2006, after the defeat of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), Aidid was present when government forces entered Mogadishu.

On February 7, 2007, as part of Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi's cabinet reshuffling, he was moved from Minister of the Interior to Minister of Public Works and Housing.

On May 13, 2007, he was sacked from the position of deputy prime minister, with the reason being given that he was inactive in his duties. This followed Aidid's defection to Asmara, Eritrea, and his accusation that Ethiopia was guilty of "genocide" and calling for its withdrawal.