Abdisamad Haji Abdilahi
Abdisamad Haji Abdilahi Diriye Warsame | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945 Sheikh, Somaliland |
| Other names | Gamgam |
| Occupation | Military officer |
| Years active | 1966–2017 |
| Known for | Chief of Staff of Somaliland Armed Forces |
Abdisamad Haji Abdilahi Diriye Warsame, commonly referred to as "Gamgam", held the position of chief of staff within the Somaliland Armed Forces.
Biography
Born in 1945 in Sheikh, Somaliland, he completed his primary education in both Hargeisa and Sheikh before attending high school at Amud from 1962 until 1966.
He pursued military studies at the Egyptian Military College between 1966 and 1968, where he took part in defending Cairo International Airport during the Six-Day War. Subsequently, he undertook a Chief of Staff training course from 1973 to 1974 and furthered his military education at Russia’s Frunze Military Academy between 1975 and 1977.
Holding the rank of major, he engaged in combat during the 1977 Ogaden War fought between Ethiopia and Somalia, including engagements around Dire Dawa.
SNM Period
In 1986, he became a member of the Somali National Movement (SNM) while in Mustahīl, Ethiopia.
By September 1988, he participated as part of the SNM delegation in a conference held in Harar, Ethiopia, involving the Workers' Party of Ethiopia and the Somali Salvation Democratic Front.
After the foundation of Somaliland
Following the declaration of Somaliland’s independence in 1991, he was appointed commander of the 17th Army Base located in Berbera. He later served as Commander of the Somaliland National Army from 2003 through 2004.
Between 2004 and 2010, he acted as Defense Advisor to President Dahir Riyale Kahin, playing a key role in strategic initiatives such as the Somaliland forces’ occupation of Las Anod in 2007.
From 2010 until 2017, he provided defense counsel to President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud. During the ongoing Las Anod conflict, serving as Defense advisor to President Bibi, he advocated for military strategic shifts including retreating from Tukaraq base to reinforce defenses at Gojacade near Las Anod.