Abdi Guled
Saturday, August 20, 2016
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Former Somali prime minister, often described as one of the country’s greatest leaders, has died at the age of 85 after a long battle with illness, Somali president, family announced Saturday.
Lt. General Mohamed Ali Samatar who also served as Somalia’s defense minister as well as a key figure in Siad Barre’s government throughout the 1970s and 1980s was pronounced dead at a hospital in Virginia.
Born in 1931 in Somalia’s port city of Kismayo, Mr. Samatar who rose through the army ranks has subsequently held senior positions within the army as key member of Mr. Barre’s inner circle as well as his right hand man.
Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has described Mr. Samatar as a ‘great’ leader who gave everything to his country.
The exact cause of his illness remains unknown; however, it comes years after he had battled subsequent illness.
He died at his home in Virginia.
He moved to the United States following the outbreak of the civil war in 1991 and the collapse of the Barre’s regime to escape persecution after the army was accused of prosecuting many people under his supervision.
Several individuals including naturalized Americans have later filed a civil lawsuit seeking financial damages from Samatar, alleging that they had suffered physical abuse in violation of international law at the hands of soldiers or other government officials under Samatar's command.
The court’s judge hadlater ruled that Mr. Samatar who lost the legal battle to pay millions in damages to the relatives of the alleged victims.