# Omar Haji Mohamed 'Masale' (Cumar Xaaji Masalle)

> Omar Haji Mohamed 'Masale' (1934–2014): army officer and defence minister, leader of the Somali National Front in Gedo, the fight with al-Itihaad, and the Sodere agreement.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/omar-haji-masale/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
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## In short

Omar Haji Mohamed, known as Masale, was a senior officer of the army of the [Somali Democratic Republic](/en/history/somali-democratic-republic-1969-1991/) and, after 1991, the leader of the [Somali National Front](/en/institutions/somali-national-front/) (SNF). This page records his public role from the sources, without taking sides.

## Army career

Wikipedia records that he was born in 1934 in Beledweyne to a Marehan family, and worked as a language teacher before joining the army in 1961. He was one of the commanding officers in the 1977–78 [Ogaden war](/en/history/ogaden-war-1977/), commanded the 2nd Armoured Brigade (later division), served as second deputy to the joint chiefs of staff and commanded forces in [Hiiraan](/en/regions/hiiraan/). He was defence minister in 1981–82, reached the rank of major general and received the Gold Medal for Bravery and Service ([Wikipedia, Omar Haji Mohamed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_Haji_Mohamed), citing *[AMISOM](/en/institutions/amisom/) Review*, Mukhtar's *Historical Dictionary of Somalia* and other works). The army of this period is described in [Somali armed forces, 1960–1991](/en/history/somali-armed-forces-1960-1991/).

## The Somali National Front

After the government of [Siad Barre](/en/people/siad-barre/) fell in 1991, he led the SNF, whose area ran from [Gedo](/en/regions/gedo/) towards Kismayo. He led its political wing from Nairobi, while General Mohammed Hashi Ghani led its armed wing from Luuq in Gedo. Wikipedia records that the SNF governed much of Gedo for most of the 1990s, backed a sharia court and police there, and took part in the peace conferences of that decade (Wikipedia).

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, citing *Africa Confidential*, recorded in December 1997 that:

- he belongs to the Marehan, the clan of the late President Siad Barre;
- the SNF fought [al-Itihaad al-Islamiya](/en/institutions/al-itihaad-al-islamiya/) for control of Gedo;
- in January 1997 the SNF was among factions that received "several lorry loads" of arms from Ethiopia, which was reported to back efforts to drive al-Itihaad out of Gedo;
- he signed the Sodere agreement, which set up the [National Salvation Council](/en/institutions/rival-heads-of-somalia-1991-to-2012/)

([IRB, 8 December 1997, via ecoi.net](https://www.ecoi.net/de/dokument/194859)).

## Death

Wikipedia records that he died in Mogadishu in November 2014, aged 80 (Wikipedia).

## Sources differ

- **Spelling.** Masale, Masalle or Massale; Wikipedia files him under Omar Haji Mohamed.
- **Other posts.** Wikipedia also mentions a period as health minister, without dates or a clear source.
- **Kismayo, 1999.** Wikipedia's account does not make clear which force took Kismayo that year.

## Read the primary sources yourself

- Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, SOM28333.E (1997): [document](https://www.ecoi.net/de/dokument/194859).

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