Abdulahi Sheik Ismael Fara-Tag
Encyclopedia
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

 Abdulahi Sheik Ismael (Fara-Tag) is a commander in the army
Military of Somalia
The Military of Somalia was, up until 1991, made up of the army, navy, air force, and air defense command. The outbreak of the Somali Civil War during that year led to the de facto dissolution of the national armed forces. However, efforts to re-establish a regular armed force by a re-constituted...

 of the Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...

 (TFG) of the Republic of Somalia.

He was militia chief commander of the Juba Valley Alliance
Juba Valley Alliance
The Juba Valley Alliance is a political faction of the Somali Civil War. It was the primary opponent of the Somali Patriotic Movement and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council vying for the control of Kismayo and the Juba River valley, the area known as Jubaland.Following the...

 (JVA) before it folded under the command of the TFG, serving under Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale
Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale
Barre Adan Shire , also known as Barre Hiiraale, Barre "Hirale" Aden Shire, or Abdikadir Adan Shire, is a former Minister of Defense of the Somali Transitional Federal Government . He was previously the TFG Minister for National Reconstruction and Resettlement...

 before and after the merger of forces.

On October 6, 2006, vowed to retake Kismayo after its abandonment to the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), but their counterattacks at the time failed. JVA officials in Jilib
Jilib
Jilib is a town in Somalia, with an estimated population of approximately 45,000. It is located on the main road from Mogadishu south to Kismayo and is the most populous town in the Middle Juba Region.The Islamic Courts Union was defeated there in the Battle of Jilib December 2006 January 2007...

 were also reported arrested by the ICU.

On October 22, SomaliNet reported Col. Ismael Fara-Tag was claimed to have been captured and knifed to death after the fall of the town of Bu'aale
Bu'aale
Bu'ale is a town in the Jubbada Dhexe region of Somalia. It is the capital of the Bu'aale District, situated in the southern Jubba River valley.-References:*...

 to the ICU. However, on November 4, these reports proved false when Col. Fara-Tag was reported alive and well in Bardhere.

On November 5, there were reports of the "unlocking" (presumably, the beginning) of training of 1,300 Ahlu Suna Wal Jama'a clerics in Bardhere to fight on behalf of the JVA/TFG. These recruits were to replace the losses suffered by the JVA in October. The number began as 700, but rapidly increased to 1,300. Col. Fara-Tag was reported to explain, "They are volunteers attending to defend their territory from the invasion of foreigners alongside the Islamic courts."

On December 19, Col. Fara-Tag was named as the commander of the TFG forces defending Bardhere from attack. However, the ICU collapsed after that in the course of the Battle of Baidoa
Battle of Baidoa
The Battle of Baidoa began on December 20, 2006 when the Somali Transitional Federal Government's forces allied with Ethiopian forces stationed there attacked advancing Islamic Courts Union forces along with 500 alleged Eritrean troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.The battle began with...

, and Bardhere never fell to them.
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