Notorious warlord Mohamed Afrah (Qanyare) whose name is synonymous with mass murder and carnage passed away this morning in the capital Muqdisho.
According to a statement issued to Radio Mustaqbal, the son of the late Warlord, identified as Abdiweli Mohamed confirmed the death. Mohamed Afrah (Qanyare) lost his life while hospitalized due to an illness at Ex Digfeer hospital, according to the son.
The story of Mohamed Afrah (Qanyare) goes back many years but his rise to infamy began in the run up to the Somali civil war. Mohamed Afrah (Qanyare) was a high ranking figure in the Ethiopian backed Rebel group known as the United Somali Congress (USC). A Rebel group that was armed, funded and trained by the Marxist Christian Government of Ethiopia, whose sole purpose was to wage war against there own nation (Somalia).
In January 1991 when former president Siad Barre was ousted from power, Mohamed Afrah (Qanyare) and his fellow USC Rebel forces unleashed mayhem and carnage in the capital Muqdisho and large parts of southern Somalia. The Warlord Qanyare became a household name in Somalia, due to the widespread Extrajudicial killings, looting and pillaging that rocked the country.
As the 90’s died down and the new millennium approached, the conflict in Somalia entered a new chapter. Following the horrific September 11th terrorist attack. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) escalated its covert operations in Somalia and unraveled a new project. This latest endeavor was aimed at countering and deterring the spread of terrorism in Somalia. The CIA organized a loose net of Warlords hailing from various clans and rebel factions, than dubbed the project ARPCT.
Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter Terrorism (ARPCT) received funds and arms from the CIA according to a report published by the New York Times in 2006. Qanyare along with others continued to pillage and raze Somalia to the ground while fighting America’s war on terror. A costly endeavor that left thousands dead and millions more displaced. That’s until a popular uprising swept across Somalia in the Summer of 2006 branding itself the Islamic Courts Union and put an end to the CIA backed mercenaries such as Qanyare but what followed next was catastrophic for obvious reasons.
Over the past several years Mohamed Afrah (Qanyare) has kept a low profile. Flying in and out of the country for health related issues or business ventures. The death of this man brings mixed feelings within Somali society. If you go to Dayniile district of Muqdisho he’s praised but travel a little further North and he’s despised. One things for sure, his legacy will be tainted as a mass Murderer, extortionist and CIA lackey.
Halgan Media Editorial Board
