Abdirahman Janaqow

Abdirahman Mahmud Farah Janaqow ( _so. "Cabdiraxmaan Maxamuud Faarax Janaqoow") was a Somali leader, and deputy chairman [http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/01/10/a1.somalia.0110.p1.php?section=nation_world Meyer, Josh (10 January 2007) "Pentagon says Somalia attack not the end" "Register-Guard", Eugene, Oregon] last accessed 27 May 2007] of the Islamic Courts Union of Somalia (ICU). [Staff (16 November 2006) "Somali Islamists say UN report on arms embargo "shocking"" BBC Worldwide Monitoring] He and other leaders signed a capitulation of Mogadishu on 27 December 2006 after military losses. [http://somalinet.com/news/world/Somalia/6223 Farah, Mohamed Abdi (27 December 2007) "Somalia: ICU leaders resign as Ethiopian army nears the capital" SomaliNet] ] However they continued military resistance to the south, and Janaqaw was killed in a U.S. airstrike on 8 January 2007 in the Battle of Ras Kamboni.

Islamic Courts Union

Janaqow appeared as a spokesperson for the ICU in the summer of 2006. [Staff (18 September 2006) "One killed following cinema raid in Somali capital" BBC Worldwide Monitoring] [Staff (15 September 2006) "Somali Islamists warn local women against imitating Westerners" BBC Worldwide Monitoring] On December 27, 2006 he evacuated Mogadishu and fled south, saying "We decided to leave Mogadishu because of the safety of the civilians. We want to face our enemy and their stooges in a separate area, away from civilians." [Staff (28 December 2006) "Somalia's capital free of Islamic fighters: Government forces enter city, ready to take control" "Grand Rapid Press" Grand Rapid, Michigan]

Reported Death

On January 10, a report by Somali presidential chief of staff, Abdirizak Hassan stated the US airstrikes had killed Al Qaeda member Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, and leaders of the Islamic Courts Union including Abduallahi Moalim Ali (former chief of security for Mogadishu), Abdirahman Janaqow, and a third unidentified person. The bodies had reportedly been recovered by Ethiopian military personnel.

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