| Name | Abdullahi Ahmed |  |
| Surname | Ahmed | |
| First Names | Abdullahi Yusuf | |
| Alternate Name | Cabdulaahi Yuusuf Axmed | |
| Title | ||
| Country of Birth | Somalia |
| Positions | |||
| From | To | Organisation | Position |
| 2004 | Office of the President | President of the Transitional Federal Government | |
| 1998 | 2003 | Government of the Self-Autonomous Region of Puntland | 'President' of Puntland - proclaimed in 1998 by the SSDF |
| 1978 | 1998 | Somali Salvation Democratic Front - SSDF - no longer operating | Founder & Leading Member of Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SDDF) |
| 1978 | 1978 | Participated in attempted coup against the government of Siad Barre | |
| Date of Birth | 15 Dec 1934 |
| Political Affiliation | |
| Telephone | |
| Address | |
| Notes | Born in December 1934, Mr Yusuf is a military strongman and former president of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland. An army commander in the 1960s who studied in Italy and the former Soviet Union, Mr Yusuf was jailed for refusing to take part in the military coup led by fellow officer Siad Barre in 1969. In prison, he spent time with the late Somali warlord, Mohamed Farah Aideed. Mr Yusuf was released in 1975 and three years later, he headed the first attempt to overthrow the Somali dictator. The attempt failed and Mr Yusuf was forced to flee to neighbouring Kenya. From there he led a guerrilla movement aimed at unseating Barre, obtaining support from Ethiopia - which at that time was at war with Somalia. However, he fell out with the Ethiopians over their claim to Somali areas, and was jailed in Addis Ababa in 1985. Mr Yusuf was only released when Ethiopia's Soviet-backed regime fell in 1991. Since then he has received backing from Addis Ababa. [ Retrieved on 11 MAR 2008 - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3732020.stm ] |
| Record last updated on 06 JUN 2008 |