SUMMARY
The ARPCT (Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism, Isbaheysiga Ladagaalanka Argagaxisadda) was a short-lived Somali warlord alliance. The alliance is also referred to as ARPFAT, an acronym mostly used by sections of the USA government dealing with counter-terrorism. The ARPCT formed on 18 February 2006 by nine leading militia leaders and businessmen. The ARPCT leaders had joined forces in order to rid the Somali capital of Islamic fundamentalism, particularly signified by the ascendance of the SICS (Supreme Council of Islamic Courts of Somalia) which indeed managed to defeat and dissolve the ARPCT as well as effectively take over Mogadishu in June 2006. Nonetheless, ARPCT’s raison d’être was likely more related to fear of loosing political dominance in the capital than a secularist agenda. In fact, several ARPCT leaders joined their former Islamist foes, the SICS, upon their defeat.
The USA has allegedly supported the ARPCT as a part of the global war on terrorism. Though the exact nature of the support is unknown, a May 2006 report from the UN Security Council’s monitoring group on Somalia said it was investigating an unnamed countrys secret support for an anti-terrorism alliance in apparent violation of a UN arms embargo. The UN experts were told in early 2006 that "financial support was being provided to help organize and structure a militia force created to counter the threat posed by the growing militant fundamentalist movement in central and southern Somalia." It is believed, however, that US interests did not lie with dismantling the SICS, but rather gaining intelligence on al-Qaida operatives in Mogadishu. Nonetheless, the alleged links between the ARPCT and the USA resulted in a surge of support for the Islamic courts among residents of Mogadishu, who held the warlords largely responsible for the rampant lawlessness in the capital.
The leadership of ARPCT consisted of four Mogadishu-based former ministers of the TFG (Transitional Federal Government): Qanyare, Musa Sudi, Botaan Isse, and Omar Finnish. The five other founding alliance leaders were Bashir Raghe, Abdirashid Shire Ilqeyte, Abdi Waal, Abdishukri Ali Hersi, and Isse Osman Ali.
ARPCT has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.
