Somali Air Force

[Chimera]

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

 

The Somali Air Force

 

The Somali military establishment(once the largest in Africa, now defunct with our fallen soldiers rolling in their graves, may they rest in peace) since 1963 was recruiting women into the army. My question to SOL members is; did it have a similar policy for the airforce? both Algeria and Somalia at that time were being hailed as examples of progressive Muslim nations by giving equal opportunities to women, so i don't see why women wouldn't have applied. If anyone who was living in Somalia before the civil war has any info, it is most definitely welcome.(i would like to make a list of Somali women of the past and chronicle their lives I.A)

 

There was a story about a sister on the BBC who was a veteran of the now defunct institution but i have no idea how i could get in contact with her

 

The airforce and it's members should be hailed as national heroes and good examples of true 'honorable Somali men and women'. Since the birth of military aviation there has never been a case in the world(let alone Africa) where a whole airforce defected but that is exactly what happened in Somalia. These Somalis refused to bomb their own blood and kin. First it was Colonel Ahmed Mohammed Hassan who dropped his bombs in the red sea and said:

 

The original mission of the Somali National Army was to protect the nation from external aggression. I was trained to fight against an enemy force not my own people; my decision was firm to risk dying rather than bombarding civilians and their property-Colonel Ahmed Mohammed Hassan

 

Then it was General Noor Dhuudhi(Head of the airforce) who took all of the Somali fighter planes and their pilots and left for Rome. This was such a heavy setback for the Dictator who knew fully well that he could not put down the uprisings without air support therefore he started making deals with Apartheid-dictators who supplied Rhodesian pilots and fighterplanes while Margeret Tatcher's government provided former RAF pilots to assist the Dictator

 

While one could say the defection of the airforce resulted in the import of more lethal killers these Somali men and women displayed something that transcends all of that myopic crap that you see today: Somalis first!! No matter what our disagreements or political views are brothers and sisters in the end our mentality should be: Somalis first! and we should teach this to the next generation

 

revisionist historians are now trying to re-write history regarding the O-gaden war and the performance of the airforce, with lies like the EAF(in reality cuban/israeli/soviet pilots) destroyed the Somali airforce, this is bollocks. When the Soviet Union switched on us they secretly stole/sabotaged all of our radars and bombed the Somali fighter planes while they were still in their hangars 'Pearl harbour' style. This resulted in the destruction of 1/2 of the airforce(Somali pilots who destroyed the same number of Cuban/Soviet manned planes at least had their kills in the air)

 

some pics:

 

 

Source of Images(btw could someone give a quik summary of this article in English? too many Somali words give me a headache because i sometimes think i will eventually understand a word if i stutter it a few times and keep looking at it till my eyes pop out kkkk)

[Som@li]

Waw, thanks for the pics, Somali Airforce had its glory days,though it's image tainted after bombing Somali cities! :mad:

[Chimera]

you mean foreign mercenaries bombed Somali cities, it's legacy was immortalized by the defiant stand the airforce took when they were asked to do something morally wrong and refused.

 

btw i spotted this:

 

09/09/76, waa maalin xasuus gaara u ah taariikhda gabdhaha Soomaaliyeed. Waa maalintii ugu horreysay ee curaddii iyo geesiyaddii gabdhaha Soomaaliyeed ay kaligeed (solo) ku duusho diyaarad Cessna 150 ah.

 

:confused:

 

9 sep 1976 was the day a Somali girl(s) passed the aviation exam of Somalia right? so in my opening post i was correct Somali women did enlist

[chubacka]

fantastic pics!

[Valenteenah.]

Cool.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

There was a story about a sister on the BBC who was a veteran of the now defunct institution but i have no idea how i could get in contact with her

The sister you are looking is Asli Calansida. I think she now lives in Mareykanka, probably in San Diego of California state.

 

A brief narrative about her:

 

 

Asli Xasan Cabaade (Asli Calansida): Gabar Soomaaliyeed oo Astaan u ah dowladjaceyl & wadaninimo!

 

Marka la soo hadal qaado wadaniyad, Qaranimo, dowladnimo Jaceyl, naf hurid, naxariis iyo gacan la siiyo dadka dhibaateysan iyo sifooyinka lagu yaqaano geesiyaasha u halgama dadkooda waxey xusuustaadu soo qabaneysaa shaqsiyaad fara badan oo taariikhda Soomaaliya baal dahaba ah uga jiray xilli hore, iyadoo dhinaca haweenka ay jiraan haween Soomaaliyeed oo halgankii xorriyad doonka qeyb weyn ka soo qaatay, haddana wixii ka danbeeyey dedaaladii la doonayey in lagu soo dhiso dowlad Soomaaliyeed wixii ka danbeeyey 1999-kii ee la isugu tegay shirkii Jabuuti-, waxaa marka keliya indhaha dadka Soomaaliyeed ay qabteen Duuliye Asli Xasan Cabaade (Calansida) oo wixii xilligaa ka danbeeyey noqontay astaan qaali ah oo aan ka daalin baadi goobka loogu jiro helitaanka Qarankii lumay iyo soo celinta heybadii, sharaftii iyo karaamadii shacabka Soomaaliyeed.

 

Duuliye Asli Calansida oo marka laga yimaado ka qeyb qaadashadii difaaca dadka, dalka iyo calanka Soomaaliyeed oo iyadoo haween ah ay ugu bareertay inay noqoto Duuliye ka tirsan ciidankii cirka Soomaaliyeed oo cadowga umadda Soomaaliyeed hankiisii weynaa hoos u dhigtay ayaa nasiib daro markii ay burburtay dowladiii hore aan ku gaabsan duuliyenimo, waxeyna bilowday dedaal aan kala go’ laheyn oo ay u hurtay naf, maal iyo waqtiba sidii ay mar kale dhaayaha u saari laheyd Qarankii Soomaaliyeed oo cagahiisa isku taagay dadka Soomaaliyeedna ay hoos harsanayaan, iyadoo goob joog ka aheyd fagaarayaal badan oo dib u heshiisiin iyo Qaran Soomaaliyeed lagu raadinayey.

 

Haddii aynu dib ugu laabano taariikhda Duuliye Asli Calansida waxey si iskeed ah uga qeyb soo qeyb qaadatay shirkii ugu qiimaha badnaa dib u heshiisiinta Soomaaliyeed oo ahaa kii ka dhacay magaalada Carta ee dalka Jabuuti ee lagu soo dhisay dowladii TNG-da aheyd ee madaxweynaha loogu doortay C/qaasim Salaad Xasan, iyo shirkii Mbagathi ee lagu soo dhisay dowladda federaalka Soomaaliya ee hadda jirta iyadoo qoyskeeda iyo caruurteeda oo ay la deganeyd dalka Maraykanka-na uga soo haajirtay muddadii sanadaha aheyd aheyd ee ay shirarkaasi soconayeen sidii ay kaalinta kaga aadan uga qaadan laheyd sidii dadka Soomaliyeed ay u heli lahaayeen dowladnimo, ayna uga bixi lahaayeen dhibaatada dagaalada sokeeye ay ku reebeen, iyadoo intii uu shirkaasi socdayna ka mid aheyd kuwa ugu firfircoon haweenkii Soomaaliyeed ee ka qeybgalay shirkaasi door lama ilaawaan ah oo taariikhda baal dahab ah ka galayna ka soo qaatay sidii natiijo wanaagsan oo dadka Soomaaliyeed ay uga farxaan ay uga soo bixi laheyd, waxeyna juhdi iyo dadaal badan ku bixisay sidii looga gudbi lahaa caqabado badan oo mararka qaarkood shirarkaasi qarka u saari jiray inay burburaan, iyadoo ku cadaadin jirtay mas’uuliyiinta loo tirinayey caqabadahaasi inay isu tanaasulaan, taasoo keentay inay u soo joogto Asli calansida iyadoo labadaasi shirba iyadoo may ka soo baxeen natiijooyin wax ku ool ah.

 

Intii ay shirarkaasi socdeen Duuliye Asli Calansida waxay laheyd astaan iyo muuqaal iyada u gaar ah oo dadka kale ee shirarkaasi ka qeybgalayey ay uga duwaneyd, astaantaasoo aheyd in ay soo xiran jirtay cambuur lagu tolay calanka Soomaaliyeed.

 

Qaranimo

Sidoo kale, waxaan hambalyo hawada u marinaa duuliye Asli Xasan Cabaade oo colaaddi sokeeye shirkii dib u heshiisiintii ee 2000 lagu qabtay magaalada Caarte ee dalka aan walaalaha nahay ee Jamhuuriyadda Jabuuti ku caan baxday (Asli calansida) oo ah gabadha qura ee duuliye ahayd ee berisamaadkii na faraxday (tarraxday) oo aan weli si gaar ah ugu xasuusto dadaalkeedi dheeraadka ahaa ee ay ku muujisay in gabadha Soomaaliyeed aysan wiilka ka gaabin iyo guubaabadeedi waddaninnimadu ku dheehnayd ee ay had iyo jeer shucuurteenna iyo niyaddeenna sare ugu qaadi jirtay.

 

More

[Som@li]

 

Flying the flag for Somali peace

 

Asli Hassan Abade is respected by warlords and faction leaders

When the transitional Somalia parliament chooses a new president on Sunday, Asli Hassan Abade will be there to "represent the voiceless".

Somalia's only female air force pilot has been waging a one-woman peace campaign, since the last attempt to choose a government in 2001.

 

She attends every major function, holding the Somalia flag aloft and wearing a dress made from the flag.

 

Somalia has been without a functioning national government since 1991.

 

"I'm a voice for the voiceless," she told the BBC's Network Africa, saying that women and children have been the main victims of the 13 years of fighting between rival warlords.

 

"Men love to fight, I'm sorry to say," she said.

 

She often stands still, holding the flag, for five hours or more while the politicians debate and make their speeches, hoping that her presence will make it more difficult for the squabbling politicians to scupper a deal.

 

 

She says with her military background, she is "a strong lady".

 

The BBC's Caroline Karobia, who has been attending the Somali peace talks in Kenya, says she is well respected by all the warlords, faction leaders and Somali politicians.

 

"Everyone greets her and some bow their heads to the Somali flag she holds," our correspondent says.

 

So will this peace deal succeed where more than a dozen others have failed?

 

"I can smell the peace," Asli says.

 

E-mail this to a friend

 

BBC

[Abwaan]

Maasha Allaah, Somali Air force was gr8 once. I wish if someone could recognise some of the servicemen and women.

 

Yes I agree with Dabshid that some of the resources were sadly used to bomb Somali cities and civilians, although the real destruction was caused NOT by Somali pilots but merceneries from South Africa. Many pilots refused to do so by going against this and many risking their lives.

 

The Barre regime couldn't even trust our pilots anymore after one of them landed his jet in Djibouti and said he wasn't trained to kill his people and he woudn't do that and two other pilots landed their spy plane at Ceelbuur and left the service to join the opposition groups.

[BOB]

Originally posted by Abwaan:

although the real destruction was caused NOT by Somali pilots but merceneries from South Africa.

Correction: They were from Rhodesia now known as Zimbabwe and I'm told one of those 'pilots' is friends with a somali businessman...I can't confirm whether it's true or not...Allah s.w knows best.

 

 

Salam Aleikum W.W

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

[Malika]

^^Am assuming he is talking about the bombing of Hargeysa and Burco in the late 80's by the merceneries from South Africa,by then Rhodesia was already known as Zimbabwe.

 

Was'nt the man confused,what happened to the championing of pan africanism whilst befriending the then apatheid goverment...

 

Back on the topic,Masha'allah indeed we were once among the envied. Asli rocks! :cool:

[BOB]

Originally posted by Dahia al Kahina:

^^Am assuming he is talking about the bombing of Hargeysa and Burco in the late 80's by the merceneries from South Africa,by then Rhodesia was already known as Zimbabwe.

Salam Aleikum W.W

 

My Dear sister I know that but the thing is...the right wing white racists still call Zimbabwe...Rhodesia and few months back there was a very nice documentary on S.A tv about these so-called "Mercenaries" whose ultimate ambition is to see Africa ruled and run by whites and they constantly refer Zimbabwe as Rhodesia so the reason why I chose to call that mercenary who bombed Hargeisa & Burco is simply because he belonged to that right wing white supremacist group and in that documentary one of them brags to the journalist that they will overthrow the Central African Republic and they were being paid some millions and after that they will topple down Robert Mugabe's government...

 

After that documentary the South African government reacted immediately since most of them lived in South Africa after they ran away from Robert Mugabe and the government came down on them hard by sentencing most of them to a long term jail...

 

So in S.A when people say so and so is from Rhodesia…know they mean this buffoon is a bloody racist and stay away from him same like when they tell you this dude is a boer...

 

Otherwise hali vipi? sisi tuko afiya Alxamdulillaah.

 

 

Salam Aleikum W.W

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

[Malika]

Aha! thanks for clearing that,but that has created a sense of curiosity now,what was Siad Bare doing being friends with white supremist...

 

Otherwise sijambo alxamdulillah!

 

ps.I must apologies to the topic started for bringing some negativity to your intended positive post.

[Thierry.]

Indeed the great Air force was tarnished the day the tyrant decided to use it against his own civilians I am just glad that our Pilots had the guts to stand up to Barre and refuse to commit his evil deeds.

 

Somalis from all walks of life did their best to fight Siyad Barre in what ever way they could. I personally know of an old man who was head of Aircraft Engineering in Mogadishu international who crippled and mechanically damaged all aircrafts that were reinforcing the troops up north against the civilians, he practically cut of their life line and as a consequence had to flee the country when the regime found out.

[BOB]

Originally posted by Dahia al Kahina:

but that has created a sense of curiosity now,what was Siad Bare doing being friends with white supremist...

You're putting me on the spot here..lol

 

I am not in a position to answer that question and I don't like speaking ill of the dead (regardless whether I agreed with them or not) but I would assume that maybe he didn't know they belonged to a white supremacist group but then again would it make any difference even if he knew? Allah s.w knows best.

 

 

Salam Aleikum W.W

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

[Chimera]

Dahia Siyaad Barre in his early years allowed the Somali navy to assist South African freedom fighters. With all kinds of media branches stationed in Mogadishu this gave the anti-apartheid groups much needed media-exposure and consequently funding aswell, during his later years however this completely changed and the Dictator made military deals with the supremacists and Israelis. Allowing them to use Somali air bases for their airforce and South African civilian planes could check and re-fuel at Somali airports