# Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed (Cabdullaahi Yuusuf Axmed)

> Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed (1934–2012): army officer, SSDF founder, first President of Puntland and President of the Transitional Federal Government.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/abdullahi-yusuf-ahmed/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
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## Who was he?

Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was a Somali soldier and politician. He was the first President of Puntland, from 1998 to 2004, and President of Somalia's [Transitional Federal Government](/en/history/transitional-governments-2000-2012/) (TFG) from 2004 to 2008 ([Wikipedia, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Yusuf_Ahmed)).

## Early life and army career

He was born on 15 December 1934 in [Gaalkacyo](/en/regions/mudug/), in the Mudug region ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Yusuf_Ahmed)). His family is Majeerteen (Darood). He made his career in the [Somali National Army](/en/institutions/somali-national-army/) and served in the 1964 border war and the 1977 war with Ethiopia (same source).

## The 1978 coup attempt and the SSDF

After the [Ogaden war](/en/history/ogaden-war-1977/), army officers tried to overthrow [Siad Barre](/en/people/siad-barre/) in April 1978. The attempt did not succeed. Seventeen alleged leaders were executed. Lieutenant Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf escaped to Ethiopia and founded the group that became the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF), the first armed front against the government ([Library of Congress, *Somalia: A Country Study*, 1992](https://countrystudies.us/somalia/29.htm)). The Ethiopian government later held him in prison until 1991 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Yusuf_Ahmed)).

## First President of Puntland

After 1991 he went home to the north-east. In 1998 he helped set up Puntland State and became its first President ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Yusuf_Ahmed)). His time in office saw a hard dispute with [Jama Ali Jama](/en/people/jama-ali-jama/) over the leadership in 2001 and 2002, which he won (same source). See [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/).

## President of the Transitional Federal Government

In October 2004 the new [Transitional Federal Parliament](/en/history/transitional-federal-parliament-2004-2012/), meeting in Kenya, elected him President. He won 189 votes to 79 for [Abdullahi Ahmed Addou](/en/people/abdullahi-ahmed-addow/) in the third round ([Wikipedia, Abdiqasim Salad Hassan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdiqasim_Salad_Hassan)). At the end of 2006 his government asked Ethiopian troops to help it against the Islamic Courts Union, which was strongly opposed by many Somalis ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Yusuf_Ahmed)). See [rebuilding, 2000 to 2006](/en/history/rebuilding-2000-2006/) and [2007 to 2012](/en/history/rebuilding-2007-2012/).

He resigned on 24 December 2008, as parliament moved to remove him ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Yusuf_Ahmed)). He then lived in Yemen.

## His death

He died on 23 March 2012 in Abu Dhabi, where he was being treated, from complications of pneumonia ([The World, 24 March 2012](https://theworld.org/stories/2012-03-24/somalia-ex-president-abdullahi-yusuf-dies-exile)). His body was flown to Mogadishu, where the UN recorded the ceremony at the airport on 25 March 2012 ([UN Photo](https://dam.media.un.org/archive/Ceremony-held-to-recieve-the-casket-containing-the-body-of-fomer-Somali-president-Abdullahi-Yusuf-Ahmed--2AM9LOYBUJYP.html)).

## How he is remembered

Views of him differ. Some credit him with founding Puntland and leading a national government in hard years. Others remember the armed struggles of his career and the Ethiopian deployment of 2006.

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