SUMMARY
The non-state conflict between the Forces of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and the Forces of Jama Ali Jama that erupted in 2002 had its roots in the disputed leadership of the autonomous state of Puntland (in Somalia). Puntland had been founded as an autonomous state (with no stated wish for sovereign statehood) in 1998, primarily by anti-Barre oppositional groups. The leader of one of the groups that opposed Barre -Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed- became the region’s first President at the time of its founding, cementing the Majerteen clan’s predominance in the administration of the Darod-dominated Puntland. After a three-year term Abdullahi Yusuf’s reign as President of Puntland was supposed to end, in July 2001, and a council of elders in Puntland elected Jama Ali Jama to be his successor in November of the same year. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed however claimed that the vote was “futile and illegal”, claiming that he had received an extension of his mandate and would not step down. He further accused Jama Ali Jama of being allied with the TFG (Transitional Federal Government, then called the Transitional National Government) and attempting to do its bidding by bringing Puntland into the transitional fold. The truth of this matter remains disputed, but Jama Ali Jama did not receive any armed assistance from the transitional government when clashes erupted with Abdullahi.
Jama Ali Jama attempted to install himself as President of Puntland in its capital Garowe in late 2001, but was soon attacked by the Forces of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and driven off to Bossasso, Puntland’s commercial capital. Clashes escalated in early 2002 and soon crossed the 25 battle-related deaths threshold. After evicting Jama’s forces from Garowe Abdullahi Yusuf’s forces continued their offensive, attacking towards Bossasso. In the face of the overwhelming power of Abdullahi Yusuf’s fighters Jama was soon defeated and left Puntland. Subsequently, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed installed himself once more as President of Puntland, a seat he kept until being elected President of the TFG in 2004. The two are still (as of 2008) political rivals, with Jama being an opposition member of the Transitional Federal Parliament.
The forces of the two politicians clashed with small-arms, rocket-launchers, and technicals (battlewagons) mounted with machineguns and anti-aircraft weapons, mainly in and around towns between Garowe and Bossasso.
The non-state conflict between the Forces of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and the Forces of Jama Ali Jama is first included in UCDP data in 2002. In August that year a battle in Qayadsame left 17 people dead, raising the battle-related deaths toll above the 25 battle-related threshold.
