Salaad Gabeyre Kediye (, 1933 – 3 July 1972), also known as Salah Gaveire Kedie, was a Somali senior military official and a revolutionary who was executed by the Siad Barre regime.

Biography

Kediye was born in Harardhere, Somalia, at the time an Italian colony. A career army man, he received military training at the

Frunze Military Academy The M. V. Frunze Military Academy (), or in full the Military Order of Lenin and the October Revolution, Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Academy in the name of M. V. Frunze (), was a military academy of the Soviet and later the Russian Armed Forces ...

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

(Военная академия им М. В. Фрунзе), an elite

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

institution reserved for the most qualified officers of the

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...

armies and their allies. He later rose to the rank of

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

in the

Somali National Army The Somali National Army () are the ground forces component of the Somali Armed Forces. Since Somali independence in 1960, the Army fought to expand and increase Somalia's sphere of influence throughout the Horn of Africa counter to Ethiopia' ...

(SNA).Andrew, p.448 Salad Gabayre was also the son in-law of President Aden Abdulle Osman and played a key role in the early years of the Army, working alongside General Daud Abdulle Hirsi in selecting and training the future batch of many famous and decorated members of the Armed forces who still serve the country decades later. On October 15, 1969, while paying a visit to the northern town of

Las Anod Las Anod (; ) is the administrative capital of the Sool region, currently controlled by Khatumo State forces aligned with Somalia. Territorial dispute The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the kins ...

, Somalia's then President

Abdirashid Ali Shermarke Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke (, ) (8 June 1919 – 15 October 1969), was the first Prime Minister of Somalia from 12 July 1960 to 14 June 1964 and the second President of Somalia from 6 July 1967, until his assassination on October 15, 1969.

was shot dead by one of his own bodyguards. His assassination was quickly followed by a military coup d'état on October 21, 1969 (the day after his funeral), in which the SNA seized power without encountering armed opposition — essentially a bloodless takeover. The putsch was spearheaded by Major General

Mohamed Siad Barre Mohammed Siad Barre (, Osmanya script: , ''Muhammad Ziād Barīy''; 6 October 1919 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali military officer, politician, and revolutionary who served as the third president of Somalia from 21 October 1969 to 26 Ja ...

, who at the time commanded the army.Moshe Y. Sachs, ''Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations'', Volume 2, (Worldmark Press: 1988), p.290.Lipschutz, pp.285-286 Alongside Barre, the Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) that assumed power after President Sharmarke's assassination was claimed to be led by Gen. Kediye and Chief of Police Jama Korshel. Kediye officially held the title of "Father of the Revolution," and Barre shortly afterwards became the head of the SRC.Adam, p.226 The SRC subsequently renamed the country the

Somali Democratic Republic The Somali Democratic Republic (; , ; ) was a socialist state in Somalia that existed from 1969 to 1991. Established in October 1969, the Somali Democratic Republic emerged following a 1969 Somali coup d'état, coup d'état led by Major General ...

,J. D. Fage, Roland Anthony Oliver, ''The Cambridge history of Africa'', Volume 8, (Cambridge University Press: 1985), p.478.''The Encyclopedia Americana: complete in thirty volumes. Skin to Sumac'', Volume 25, (Grolier: 1995), p.214. arrested members of the former civilian government, banned political parties,. dissolved the parliament and the Supreme Court, and suspended the constitution.Peter John de la Fosse Wiles, ''The New Communist Third World: an essay in political economy'', (Taylor & Francis: 1982), p.279. He was appointed

Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

from April 1970 to July 1970. A power struggle eventually ensued at the SRC's leadership. In 1971, Kediye and then

Vice President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

Mohamed Ainanshe Guled Brigadier general, Brigadier General Mohamed Ainanshe Guled () was a Somalis, Somali military officer and politician who served as the Vice President of Somalia, First Vice President of Somali Democratic Republic, Somalia from 1969 to 1971. A p ...

were charged with attempting to assassinate President Barre. Both men were shortly afterwards found guilty of treason, and along with Colonel

Abdulkadir Dheel Abdulkadir Dheel (, ) (d. 3 July 1972) was a prominent Somali military figure. Career A Colonel in the Somali National Army (SNA), Abdulkadir Dheel was among the military officials that were executed by the government on suspicion of involveme ...

, were publicly executed the following year.Adam, p.226

Notes

References

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External links

The 40th Anniversary of the Execution of General Salaad Gabeyre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kediye, Salaad Gabeyre 1933 births 1972 deaths 20th-century executions by Somalia Frunze Military Academy alumni Defence ministers of Somalia Somalian military leaders Executed military personnel People executed by Somalia by firing squad Executed Somalian people People of the KGB KGB agents

Biography

See also

Notes

References

External links