d
northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state
of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not
aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing
a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered some civil
strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also
claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a
two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to
alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995,
having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been
restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG),
created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. A
two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the
auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD),
concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed
as President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and
the formation of a transitional government, known as the Somalia
Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The Somalia TFIs include a
275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal
Assembly (TFA), a transitional Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed GEDI, and
a 90-member cabinet. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has
been deeply divided since just after its creation and until late
December 2006 controlled only the town of Baidoa. In June 2006, a
loose coalition of clerics, business leaders, and Islamic court
militias ? known as the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) ?
defeated powerful Mogadishu warlords and took control of the
capital. The Courts continued to expand, spreading their influence
throughout much of southern Somalia and threatening to overthrow the
TFG in Baidoa. Ethiopian and TFG forces ? concerned over suspected
links between some SCIC factions and al-Qa?ida ? in late December
2006 drove the SCIC from power, but the joint forces continue to
fight remnants of SCIC militia in the southwestern corner of Somalia
near the Kenyan border. The TFG, backed by Ethiopian forces, in late
December 2006 moved into Mogadishu, but continues to struggle to
exert control over the capital and to prevent the reemergence of
warlord rule that typified Mogadishu before the rise of the SCIC.

Geography Somalia

Location:
Eastern Africa, borderi