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Barre suspected him of planning a coup d'état and had him imprisoned for six years. In 1991, the clan of
Aidid did indeed overthrow Barre, and Aidid, as leader of the United Somali Congress, emerged as a
major force in the ensuing civil war.
Aidid hindered international U.N. peacekeeping forces in 1992. As a result, the US put a $25,000 bounty
on his head and attempted to capture him. On October 3, 1993 a force of U.S. Army Rangers and Delta
Force operators set out to capture several officials of Aidid's militia in an area of the Somalian capital city
of Mogadishu, controlled by him. Although technically successful, with the capture of several "tier-one
personalities," the operation did not completely go as planned, and 19 American soldiers as well as
500-1000 Somalis died as a result. Aidid himself was not captured. The events are commonly known as
the Battle of Mogadishu.
The U.S. withdrew its forces soon after, a move that is debatedly viewed as a signal of weakening
American strength on the international front, and the U.N. left Somalia in 1995. Aidid then declared
himself president of Somalia, but his government was not internationally recognized.
Aidid died on August 1, 1996 as a result of gunshot wounds sustained a week earlier in a fight with
competing factions. Coincidentally, one day later, U.S. General William F. Garrison, who accepted
responsibility for the outcome of the October 3, 1993 raid, retired from military service.
Aidid did indeed overthrow Barre, and Aidid, as leader of the United Somali Congress, emerged as a
major force in the ensuing civil war.
Aidid hindered international U.N. peacekeeping forces in 1992. As a result, the US put a $25,000 bounty
on his head and attempted to capture him. On October 3, 1993 a force of U.S. Army Rangers and Delta
Force operators set out to capture several officials of Aidid's militia in an area of the Somalian capital city
of Mogadishu, controlled by him. Although technically successful, with the capture of several "tier-one
personalities," the operation did not completely go as planned, and 19 American soldiers as well as
500-1000 Somalis died as a result. Aidid himself was not captured. The events are commonly known as
the Battle of Mogadishu.
The U.S. withdrew its forces soon after, a move that is debatedly viewed as a signal of weakening
American strength on the international front, and the U.N. left Somalia in 1995. Aidid then declared
himself president of Somalia, but his government was not internationally recognized.
Aidid died on August 1, 1996 as a result of gunshot wounds sustained a week earlier in a fight with
competing factions. Coincidentally, one day later, U.S. General William F. Garrison, who accepted
responsibility for the outcome of the October 3, 1993 raid, retired from military service.