Ismail Qasim Naji

General Ismail Qasim Naji (Somali: Ismaaciil Qaasim Naaji, Arabic: إسماعيل قاسم ناجي‎) was the chief of staff of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and currently the Somali ambassador in Oman. He has served as a senior officer of the Somali army since the administration of Siad Barre, who was removed from power in 1991. Before the formation of the TFG, he also commanded the army of the predecessor Transitional National Government (TNG) of Somalia between 2002–2004.

Ismail Qasim Naji
إسماعيل قاسم ناجي
AllegianceTransitional Federal Government of Somalia
Years of service2005–present
RankGeneral
Commands heldSomali National Army (SNA)
Transitional National Government (TFG) Army Commander
Chief of Staff, Army of the Somali Republic
Battles/warsSomali Civil War
Somalia War (2006–2009)

Military service
Further information: Military of Somalia

Transitional National Government

From 2004–2004, Gen. Naji served as the military chief of the Transitional National Government (TNG).[1][2] During this time, the TNG was opposed militarily and politically by the rival Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC), backed by Hussein Mohamed Farrah Aidid (son of the late warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid), Mohamed Dhere, and others. Eventually the leadership of the SRRC and the TNG reconciled.

Transitional Federal Government

In November 2004, the TNG was succeeded by the establishment of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). On April 15, 2005, Gen. Naji was appointed Chief army commander of the TFG.[3]

In October 2005, a report by the UN Monitoring group quoted Gen. Naji as having accepted a large shipment of goods from Yemen in contravention of UN sanctions on arms imports, including 5,000 weapons, hand grenades and antipersonnel mines.[4]

In November 2006, Gen. Naji acknowledged the defection of TFG militia to the Islamic Courts Union (ICU).[5]

On January 17, 2007, Gen. Naji reported what was believed to be Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed's briefcase, filled with documents, was recovered by government forces from a jungle hideout in southwestern Somalia[6] as conflicting reports emerged the ICU leader had been arrested near the Dadaab refugee camp in the Garissa district of Kenya.[7]

On February 10, 2007, he was replaced as army chief-of-staff by Abdullahi Ali Omar.[8]

Subsequent career

The same day he was dismissed as army chief-of-staff (February 10, 2007), Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi appointed Ismael Qasim Naji to the position of Ambassador to Oman.[8]

References
  1. "The Lives of 18 American Soldiers Are Not Better Than Thousands of Somali Lives They Killed, Somalia's TNG Prime Minister Col. Hassan Abshir Farah says". Somalia Watch. 2002-01-22. Archived from the original on 2007-01-03. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
  2. "Somalia: Warlords lay down weapons". SomaliNet. 2007-01-17. Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
  3. "Somali cabinet fills key posts". Al-Jazeera. 2005-04-15. Archived from the original on 2006-12-11. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
  4. "LM Report 2006: Yemen". Landmine Monitor. 2006-09-12. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
  5. "Somali women demonstrate to support state". Sapa-AP. 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
  6. Gettleman, Jeffrey (2007-01-17). "Islamist Fighters Captured Fleeing Somalia". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
  7. "Top Islamist commander arrested". East African Standard. 2007-01-17. Archived from the original on September 2, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
  8. "Somalia's army commander sacked as new ambassadors are appointed". Shabelle Media Network. 2007-02-10. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-10.
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