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Mohamed Kahin Ahmed

Mujahid
Mohamed Kahin Ahmed
Mohamed in 2023
Minister of Interior
In office
14 December 2017 – 14 December 2024
PresidentMuse Bihi Abdi
Preceded byYasin Haji Mohamoud
Succeeded byAbdalle Mohamed Arab
Chairman of Peace, Unity, and Development Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 August 2023 [1]
PresidentMuse Bihi Abdi
Preceded byMuse Bihi Abdi
Personal details
Born (1953-07-01) 1 July 1953 (age 72)
Burao, British Somaliland
CitizenshipSomalilander
Political partyPeace, Unity, and Development Party
Residence(s)Hargeisa, Somaliland
Alma materSoviet Union Odesa Military Academy
Military service
AllegianceSomalia Somali Democratic Republic (1970-1982)
Somali National Movement (1982-1991)
Branch/service Somali National Army
Battles/warsOgaden War
Somaliland War of Independence

Mohamed Kahin Ahmed (Somali: Maxamed Kaahin Axmed, Arabic: محمد كاهن أحمد) is a Somaliland politician and former military officer of the Somali National Movement. He serves as chairman of the Kulmiye party since 21 August 2023.[3] He also served as the Minister of Interior of Somaliland from 14 December 2017 until 13 December 2024 when he was succeeded by Abdalle Mohamed Arab.[4][5]

Career

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Early life

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Mohamed Kahin Ahmed Mohamud was born in Burao, capital of the Togdheer region of Somaliland.[6] He completed his primary and Quranic education in Beer in Togdheer.[6] He completed his higher education at Burao Technical Institute.[7][6] He belongs to the Rer Dahir subclan of the Habr Je'lo, part of the wider Isaaq clan-family.[8][9][10]

Military career

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Mohamed enlisted in the Somali National Army in 1970, after which he left for the Soviet Union and attended the Odessa Military Academy. He returned in 1973 after completing his military studies after which he was promoted to the rank of officer.[6][7] He served in this capacity in numerous cities, including Garowe, Galkayo, Dhusomareb, Mogadishu and Hargeisa.[6]

He fought in the 1977 Ogaden War in the Degehabur and Jigjiga fronts and was promoted to military operative and then later to deputy commander of a battalion. He later served in the Somali military intelligence wing of the 26th Division of the Somali Army, headquartered in Hargeisa. He also taught in a military institute in Mogadishu.[6]

Commander in the SNM

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Main article: Burco-Duuray offensive

Mohamed, along with four other officers defected to the Somali National Movement (SNM) in 1982, being among the first military officers to do so. Mohamed launched and commanded numerous SNM attacks and offensives against the Somali regime, including an offensive into the Golis Mountains in 1984 where he led the SNM's 1st Brigade based in Balidhaye.[11][12] The 1st Brigade, consisting of 130 soldiers, assaulted the Meriya mountains on 27 November, inflicting heavy casualties on Siad Barre's forces before retreating back to their base in Balidhaye.[11][13][12]

On 17 October 1984, the 1st Brigade of the SNM, led by Lihle and Mohamed Kaahin, launched an offensive on the SNA contingency based in Burco-Duurray, a town in the Jarar zone in Ethiopia near the border with Somaliland. The 1st Brigade consisted of around 400 men at the time, while the SNA contingency based in the area consisted of 1,000 men, as well as 70 technicals and other heavy military vehicles. Heavy clashes ensued whereby the SNM lost 27 men, including the commander of SNM's military wing Mohamed Hashi Lihle, while the SNA lost 170 soldiers as well as 17 military vehicles.[13][14]

Mohamed was later appointed Commander-in-Chief of the SNM in April 1988 by the SNM chairman Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Siilaanyo).[15][16]

Political career

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Mohamed served as the first Somaliland Minister of Defence in 1991.[17][15][16] On 14 December 2017 he was appointed by then-president Muse Bihi Abdi as Minister of Interior which he served for 7 years until he succeeded by Abdalle Mohamed Arab on 14 December 2024.[4][5]

On 21 August 2023 he was appointed chairman of the Kulmiye party, one of Somaliland's three political parties,[3] having been a prominent member of the party since its foundation. He had previously served as the deputy chairman of the party from July 2010 to December 2017.[18][19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Burco: Xiabiga Kulmiye oo mar kale musharax Madaxweyne u doortey Biixi, horseedmedia.net. 21 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Breaking: Somaliland's new President names 32-Cabinet ministers". Horn Diplomat. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Somaliland's ruling Kulmiye picks Mohamed Kahin as chairman, Bihi to defend seat in 2024 poll – Goobjoog English". en.goobjoog.com. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Somaliland's new President Muse Bihi names 32-Cabinet ministers". Horn Diplomat. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdillahi Irro Unveils Inclusive Somaliland Cabinet". hornobserver.com. 14 December 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f SAHAN TV (21 August 2023). Taariikh Nololeedka Gudoomiyaha Cusub Ee Xisbiga Kulmiye Maxamed Kaahin Ahmed. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  7. ^ a b Taariikh Nololeedkii Mujaahid: Maxamed Kaahin Axmed ., retrieved 18 February 2024
  8. ^ Höhne, Markus Virgil (2015). Between Somaliland and Puntland: marginalization, militarization and conflicting political visions. Contested borderlands. London: Rift Valley Institute. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-907431-13-5.
  9. ^ Lewis, I. M. (1994). Blood and Bone: The Call of Kinship in Somali Society. The Red Sea Press. ISBN 978-0-932415-93-6.
  10. ^ "Abtirsi.com : Mahamed Kahin Ahmed". www.abtirsi.com. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Duulaankii Buuraha Meriya 27.November.1984. Waa Dagaalkii Ugu Gadhaadhaa Ee SNM Gashay". karinnews.net. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  12. ^ a b Cabdi Coomay, Cali (11 July 2019). "Dagaal Dublamaasiyadeed Oo Mar kale Ka Dhexqarxay SNM iyo Faqash". Hadhwanaagnews.
  13. ^ a b Cabdi Coomay, Cali (17 October 2019). "Dagaalkii Burco-Duurray". Bandhige.
  14. ^ Axmed, Mustafe (17 October 2015). "31 Sanadood Ka Hor Iyo Dagaalkii Burco Duuray Ee Halganka Diiriyey". Gobanimonews.
  15. ^ a b Prunier, Gérard (2021). The Country that Does Not Exist: A History of Somaliland. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-1-78738-203-9.
  16. ^ a b Lewis, I. M. (1994). Blood and Bone: The Call of Kinship in Somali Society. The Red Sea Press. ISBN 978-0-932415-93-6.
  17. ^ Horn of Africa Bulletin. Life & Peace Institute. 1991.
  18. ^ "Duulaankii Buuraha Meriya 27.November.1984. Waa Dagaalkii Ugu Qadhaadhaa Ee SNM Gashay". Karin News (in Somali). 24 December 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  19. ^ "Gudoomiye Ku Xigeenka 1aad Ee Xibiga Kulmiye Md Maxamed Kaahin Axmed Ayaa Talo Iyo Digniin Isgy Daray Taageerayasha Xusbiga Maanta". Waxsansheeg (in Somali). 15 November 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Interior
2017–present 		Incumbent
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