Abdullahi Afrah

Abdullahi Afrah, born in Somalia, was a Canadian immigrant who returned to Mogadishu as a leader in the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) where he became known as "one of the few intellectuals within his organization that had weight to move [the] peace process forward". He was killed July 1 2008 in a gunfight with Ethiopian troops.Shephard, Michelle. Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/453238 Canadian insurgent 'Asparo' killed in Somalia] , July 3 2008]

Life

Afrah moved to Toronto following the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991, became a Canadian citizen and worked as a security guard with the Toronto District Catholic School Board, before operating a Somalia wire transfer service, and eventually co-owning a grocery store on Dundas Street West.Shephard, Michelle, Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/News/article/107551 "From T.O. to Mogadishu"] , October 21 2006]

He took his wife and three children back to Mogadishu in 1997, where he became known as an insurgent UIC leader under the name "Asparo". Afrah's support of the UIC led William Kaplan to brand him a "Taliban wannabe" in December 2006. [Kaplan, William, " [http://www.williamkaplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/Is%20it%20time%20to%20close%20Hotel%20Canada.pdf Is it time to close Hotel Canada?] ", December 25 2006]

A month later, Afrah spoke to Canadian journalist Michelle Shephard in a telephone interview, and urged Canadians not to lump the UIC in the same category as terrorists or al Qaeda, as they were simply trying to repel the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia. He also suggested that he may return to Canada, once Somalia had secured peace.Shephard, Michelle, Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/News/article/168839 Top Islamist ponders return to Toronto] , January 8 2007]

References

Persondata
NAME=Afrah, Abdullahi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Somalia-Canadian Islamic Courts Union leader
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=Somalia
DATE OF DEATH=2008
PLACE OF DEATH=Somalia