The Somali Democratic Action Front (SODAF; Somali: ''Ururka Dhaqdhaqaaqa Dimuqraadiyada Soomaaliyeed'') is the first political faction of the

Somali Rebellion The Somali Rebellion was the start of the Somali Civil War that began in the 1970s and resulted in the collapse of the Somali Democratic Republic in 1991. The rebellion effectively began in 1978 following a failed coup d’état and Presiden ...

Activities

Led by the former erstwhile and beloved mayor of Mogadishu, Omar Hassan Mohamud "Istarliin", it was the first primary opposition of the

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 Janu ...

regime established in Rome in conclusion of meetings between 1974-1976 by exiled politicians who fled from regime reprisals after the execution of the former Minister of Defence General Salaad Gabeyre Kediye accused of organising a counter coup. Initially powerful both economically and diplomatically, following the end of the war with Ethiopia in the summer of 1978, SODAF had been invited to merge with the Somali Salvation Front (SSF) led by Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf and two other small parties to form the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF) with the approval and assistance of President

Jomo Kenyatta Jomo Kenyatta (22 August 1978) was a Kenyan anti-colonial activist and politician who governed Kenya as its Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964 and then as its first President from 1964 to his death in 1978. He played a significant role in the ...

and his vice-president

Daniel Arap Moi Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He is the country's longest-serving president to date. Moi previously served as the thi ...

before the SSDF moved to Ethiopia and set up a military base there.

References

{{reflist Factions in the Somali Civil War