# Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow (Ibraahim Sheekh Muxyidiin Addow)

> Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow, commander of the Somali National Army from June 2023 to November 2024: earlier career in the army and the presidential guard, his appointment and his dismissal.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/ibrahim-sheikh-muhyadin-addow/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## In short

Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow led the Somali army for about seventeen months, between the two terms of [Odowaa Yusuf Rageh](/en/people/odowaa-yusuf-rageh/). This page records what the sources report. The full list of army chiefs is at [Commanders of the Somali army](/en/institutions/somali-army-commanders/).

## Earlier career

Wikipedia records that he was born in Mogadishu in 1960, joined officer training at the Somali National Army academy in 1981 and was commissioned in 1982. It records that he served as an officer through the civil war years, became security adviser to the transitional government in 2001, chaired the security committee of the Benadir regional council from 2008, was head of protocol for President [Hassan Sheikh Mohamud](/en/people/hassan-sheikh-mohamud/) from 2012 to 2014, and from 2014 commanded the presidential guard's 60th battalion ([Wikipedia, Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Sheikh_Muhyadin_Addow)). The Anadolu Agency, reported by *Middle East Monitor*, said he had commanded the presidential guards and had studied military logistics in Italy ([*Middle East Monitor*, Anadolu, 19 June 2023](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230619-somalia-sacks-army-chief-names-brig-gen-addow-as-new-commander-amid-political-tensions/)).

## Army commander, 2023–2024

On 19 June 2023 the cabinet, meeting under Prime Minister [Hamza Abdi Barre](/en/people/hamza-abdi-barre/), removed Odowaa and appointed Addow, then a brigadier general, as chief of the [Somali National Army](/en/institutions/somali-national-army/). No official reason was given. The change came days after [Hirshabelle](/en/states/hirshabelle/)'s president dismissed the governor of [Hiiraan](/en/regions/hiiraan/), Ali Jeyte Osman, seen as the face of the fight against [al-Shabaab](/en/history/al-shabaab/) in the region, who rejected his dismissal (*Middle East Monitor*, 2023). See [The offensive against al-Shabaab, 2022 to 2025](/en/history/offensive-against-al-shabaab-2022-2025/).

## Dismissal, November 2024

On Saturday 9 November 2024 the cabinet, at an emergency meeting, dismissed Addow and brought back Odowaa; the prime minister's office said the aim was to "speed up the defense of the country and eliminate the Khawarij groups". The article gave no reason for Addow's dismissal ([Anadolu Agency, 11 November 2024](https://aa.com.tr/en/africa/somali-cabinet-fires-army-chief-reappoints-predecessor/3390233)).

## Sources differ

- **Rank.** A brigadier general on appointment in 2023 (*Middle East Monitor*); Wikipedia's text says he was promoted major general that year, while its table gives 2019.

## Read the primary sources yourself

- *Middle East Monitor* (Anadolu), "Somalia sacks army chief, names Brig. Gen. Addow as new commander" (2023): [article](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230619-somalia-sacks-army-chief-names-brig-gen-addow-as-new-commander-amid-political-tensions/).
- Anadolu Agency, "Somali cabinet fires army chief, reappoints predecessor" (2024): [article](https://aa.com.tr/en/africa/somali-cabinet-fires-army-chief-reappoints-predecessor/3390233).

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