Somali Patriotic Movement

Somali Patriotic Movement
Somali Patriotic Movement
Leaders	Bashir Bililiqo; Aden Abdullahi Nur; Mohammed Siad Hersi "Morgan";
Dates of operation	1989-2004
Group(s)	Kab-lalah
Headquarters	Kismayo
Active regions	Southern Somalia
Ideology	Somali nationalism
Allies	Somali Salvation Democratic Front ; Somali National Front
Opponents	United Somali Congress
	Succeeded by; Raskamboni Movement

The Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM, Somali: Dhaqdhaqaaqa Wadaniga Soomaaliyeed, Arabic: الحركة الوطنية الصومالية) was a major politico-military faction during the early years of the Somali Civil War. It was founded and commanded by Colonel Bashir Bililiqo, After his death in 1992, he was succeeded by Major General Aden Abdullahi Nur and his deputy Major General Mohammed Said Hersi Morgan the group was based in what is presently Jubaland region.

History

The organization was founded by a group of disaffected senior military officers, primarily from the Ogaden and Absame, led by Col. Bililiqo. The initial area of operations centered on the Jubaland region and the Kenyan border (mid and Lower Jubba). They were early allies of the United Somali Congress (USC) in operations against the regime of Siad Barre. A key accomplishment was the seizure of the highly strategic Baledogle Airbase in the days prior to Barre's flight from Mogadishu.^[1]

However, after Barre's flight, when Ali Mahdi's Manifesto Group announced the formation of an "interim government" without consulting SPM leadership, a crisis ensued. After fighting broke out between the Manifesto Group supporters and the SPM, the SPM was accused of suddenly reversing direction and allied itself with Barre, who was seeking to reestablish his regime. This reversal was angrily resisted by many of the original Ogadeni, who split off into their own faction.

The SPM thus sundered into two tribal-oriented factions:

SPM Absame, or SPM-SNA, under Ahmed Omar Jess and Gedi Ugas Madhar
SPM Harti, under Aden Abdillahi Nur "Gabyow" (Himself from Ogaden Absame clan: Chairman) and General Mohamed Siad Hersi "Morgan" (Militia Commander)

On August 12, 1992, the SPM mainly Absame faction joined General Aidid to form the Somali National Alliance. The SPM fractured along tribal lines, and massacres and ethnic cleansing began between the two rival factions, as well as their external enemies.

In 1998, the SPM (Harti/Absame) under General "Morgan", based out of Kismayo, founded the autonomous state of Jubaland. They were strenuously opposed by the Allied Somali Forces, which later became the Juba Valley Alliance. The SPM and ASF/JVA contended over the control of south Somalia until the JVA proved victorious, driving General "Morgan" into exile.