What were the main tactics used by the Somali Armed Forces against the Isaaq population
Introduction
The Somali Armed Forces employed a range of brutal tactics against the Isaaq population during the genocide from 1987 to 1989. The main tactics included:
Indiscriminate Killings and Executions
The military conducted sweeps of areas where SNM incidents occurred, resulting in massacres of civilians.
Extrajudicial executions were carried out, with hundreds of Isaaqs killed on suspicion of supporting the SNM.
Mass executions took place, including firing squads shooting blindfolded victims at sites like Badhka in Hargeisa.
Aerial Bombardment and Artillery Attacks
The government used aerial bombardment and artillery shelling to destroy major cities like Hargeisa and Burco.
Long-range artillery guns were placed on hilltops to shell civilian areas in Hargeisa.
Fleeing refugees were strafed by government warplanes.
Mass Arrests and Detention
Thousands of Isaaq men were rounded up and detained in prisons and military compounds.
Detainees were held in appalling conditions, with overcrowded facilities.
Destruction of Property and Infrastructure
A systematic campaign destroyed Isaaq dwellings, settlements, and water points.
Cities like Hargeisa were “virtually leveled” by bombardment.
The military poisoned wells and destroyed water reservoirs to deprive civilians of resources.
Use of Specialized Units
A mechanized unit called “Dabar Goynta Isaaqa” (The Isaaq Exterminators) was created specifically to target Isaaq civilians.
This unit conducted systematic attacks on unarmed Isaaq villages, watering points, and grazing areas.
Other Tactics
Widespread use of rape as a weapon of war.
Imposition of economic blockades.
Planting of over one million landmines in civilian areas.
Use of man-made famine as a weapon against the population.
Conclusion
These tactics were part of a deliberate campaign aimed at destroying the Isaaq population, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians.
