''In 1981, the Mengistu government began to support the Somali National Movement (SNM).
The resulting war by the SNM against the WSLF was an important element in the Ethiopian strategy, and it was resoundingly successful.
The formation of the SNM was the outcome of systematic discrimination and human rights abuse against members of the Isaaq clan, which predominates in northern Somalia, by the
Siad Barre government.
Many abuses against the civilian population of northern Somalia, especially those living in the border area, were committed by the WSLF. Killing, looting and rape were common from 1978 onwards.
In late 1978, Isaaq elders petitioned President Siad to form an Isaaq wing of the WSLF, which would be able to protect local civilians. This organization, known as Afraad, the "fourth unit," became operational in 1979. It immediately came into armed conflict with the
main (Ogaden clan) forces of the WSLF.
Shortly afterwards, an Isaaq army officer arrested leading WSLF fighters at Gobyar who had been harassing and abusing the local population; they were taken to Gebiley and executed.
The army command in Hargeisa was then transferred to General Gani, a Marehan and a clansman of the president; one of the changes that followed was the forcible transfer of the Afraad away from the border zone. However, many members of the Afraad became guerrilla fighters in their own right and continued the inter-clan conflict, which intensified in 1981.
Other grievances felt by the Isaaq included the preferential treatment of Ogadeni refugees compared to the local population, in terms of access to education, health care and services, and discrimination against Isaaqs in government and army posts and in business.
A dispute over access to the grazing in the Haud reserve was also flaring. After prolonged talks, leading members of the Isaaq clan met in London in April 1981, to form the Somali National Movement (SNM). In January 1982, they negotiated with the Ethiopian government to obtain a base and arms. The SNM soon became active in the border area, supporting the Isaaq clan in its ongoing conflict with the Ogaden clan. In October 1982, there was fierce fighting in the Gashaamo area.
The war between the Isaaq-SNM and the Ogaden-WSLF involved violence against civilians, by both forces and on both sides of the border. At first, the abuses were almost entirely by the WSLF, because it had a near-monopoly on arms. Lorries were ambushed, traders
stopped and robbed, houses looted, animals stolen, women raped and civilians killed.
In early 1979, between Wajale and Alleybadey, two WSLF fighters raped a woman, whose teenage brother then retaliated by shooting the fighters. The commander of the WSLF unit then arrived
and summarily executed the boy and two other family members.
One SNM abuse occurred in December 1981 when Isaaq fighters stopped a truck at Dhaberooble, between Warder and Degahabur, and killed six WSLF fighters and 13 civilians,
all members of the Ogaden clan.
Clashes between the fronts were intense during late 1982 and 1983. The SNM succeeded in cutting the WSLF off from its rear bases in northern Somalia. Together with the Ethiopian army offensives, this was a fatal blow to the WSLF, which never recovered. There
was a final round of fighting in December 1984-January 1985, but by this time the WSLF was effectively finished.''
[Evil Days: Thirty Years of War and Famine in Ethiopia
By Alexander De Waal, Human Rights Watch (Organization)
Pg 95]
The resulting war by the SNM against the WSLF was an important element in the Ethiopian strategy, and it was resoundingly successful.
The formation of the SNM was the outcome of systematic discrimination and human rights abuse against members of the Isaaq clan, which predominates in northern Somalia, by the
Siad Barre government.
Many abuses against the civilian population of northern Somalia, especially those living in the border area, were committed by the WSLF. Killing, looting and rape were common from 1978 onwards.
In late 1978, Isaaq elders petitioned President Siad to form an Isaaq wing of the WSLF, which would be able to protect local civilians. This organization, known as Afraad, the "fourth unit," became operational in 1979. It immediately came into armed conflict with the
main (Ogaden clan) forces of the WSLF.
Shortly afterwards, an Isaaq army officer arrested leading WSLF fighters at Gobyar who had been harassing and abusing the local population; they were taken to Gebiley and executed.
The army command in Hargeisa was then transferred to General Gani, a Marehan and a clansman of the president; one of the changes that followed was the forcible transfer of the Afraad away from the border zone. However, many members of the Afraad became guerrilla fighters in their own right and continued the inter-clan conflict, which intensified in 1981.
Other grievances felt by the Isaaq included the preferential treatment of Ogadeni refugees compared to the local population, in terms of access to education, health care and services, and discrimination against Isaaqs in government and army posts and in business.
A dispute over access to the grazing in the Haud reserve was also flaring. After prolonged talks, leading members of the Isaaq clan met in London in April 1981, to form the Somali National Movement (SNM). In January 1982, they negotiated with the Ethiopian government to obtain a base and arms. The SNM soon became active in the border area, supporting the Isaaq clan in its ongoing conflict with the Ogaden clan. In October 1982, there was fierce fighting in the Gashaamo area.
The war between the Isaaq-SNM and the Ogaden-WSLF involved violence against civilians, by both forces and on both sides of the border. At first, the abuses were almost entirely by the WSLF, because it had a near-monopoly on arms. Lorries were ambushed, traders
stopped and robbed, houses looted, animals stolen, women raped and civilians killed.
In early 1979, between Wajale and Alleybadey, two WSLF fighters raped a woman, whose teenage brother then retaliated by shooting the fighters. The commander of the WSLF unit then arrived
and summarily executed the boy and two other family members.
One SNM abuse occurred in December 1981 when Isaaq fighters stopped a truck at Dhaberooble, between Warder and Degahabur, and killed six WSLF fighters and 13 civilians,
all members of the Ogaden clan.
Clashes between the fronts were intense during late 1982 and 1983. The SNM succeeded in cutting the WSLF off from its rear bases in northern Somalia. Together with the Ethiopian army offensives, this was a fatal blow to the WSLF, which never recovered. There
was a final round of fighting in December 1984-January 1985, but by this time the WSLF was effectively finished.''
[Evil Days: Thirty Years of War and Famine in Ethiopia
By Alexander De Waal, Human Rights Watch (Organization)
Pg 95]