Al-Turki was born in the
Ogaden (today the
Somali region) which was under the rule of the
Ethiopian Empire. He hailed from the Reer Abdille subdivision of the
Ogaden within the wider
Darod clan. He was the brother-in-law of current
Jubbaland governor
Ahmed Madobe. Al-Turki was a veteran of the
1963–1965 Ogaden revolt and
1964 Ethiopian–Somali War. He also fought in the 1970s insurgency and the 1977-78
Ogaden War over control of the Ogaden. He left the region after the war to continue his efforts in Somalia. Following his death, Al-Shabaab released a statement claiming that Al-Turki was behind the killing of the
Catholic Bishop of Mogadishu
Salvatore Colombo in July 1989 and had participated in the October 1993
Battle of Mogadishu against the US military and
UNOSOM II. al-Turki founded the
Ras Kamboni Brigades, an Islamist militia based near the town of
Ras Kamboni in southern Somalia. The group operated primarily in what is now
Jubbaland region and initially preceded the formation of the
Islamic Courts Union (ICU). In 2004, al-Turki was designated by the
United States under
Executive Order 13224 for alleged involvement in terrorist financing. In a subsequent interview with
Al Jazeera, he rejected the designation and denied the accusations, stating:I am not a terrorist. The terrorists are the Americans,
Bush and his army who are exterminating the people of
Afghanistan,
Iraq,
Somalia,
Lebanon, and
Palestine. The terrorists are the
infidels led by Bush.In early 2006, al-Turki's forces began cooperating with the ICU in fighting U.S.-backed warlords in
Mogadishu. As a military leader of ICU, he secured and governed towns in the far south such as
Dhobley situated near the
North Eastern Province. He also led ICU forces in the taking of
Jubaland. He led ICU troops during the advance on Kismayo. Al-Turki addressed the people of Kismayo, saying that the region would be under
Sharia law. "This city is seized by Islamic forces including all tribes of Somali men and foreigners, welcome to the new peace brought to this city and I promise you will live in security and prosperity", he reportedly said. After the full-scale
Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, he targeted in a US
airstrike on 3 March 2008. The two
Tomahawk cruise missiles hit two homes in Dhobley that were allegedly visited by al-Turki, who was believed to have ties to
al-Qaeda. In February 2010, al-Turki officially merged the
Ras Kamboni Brigades with
Al-Shabaab and split from
Hizbul Islam formally pledging allegiance to
Al-Qaeda leader
Osama bin Laden. Al-Turki died of an undisclosed illness on 27 May 2015. ==References==