Who was Cali Shucaac who was buried in Jigjiga?

Who was Cali Shucaac who was buried in Jigjiga?

In the city of Jigjiga, yesterday, may God have mercy on him, Cali Cabdille Fiixiye, known as Cali Shoocaac, was buried. He had long been among the leaders of the Somali Region. He was a poet, a history teacher, and a freedom fighter who spent most of his time in liberation struggles.

As he mentioned in a previous interview with local media, Cali Shucaac was born in 1948 near the city of Qabridaharre in the Qorraxay region.

"I was told that the night I was born was a night of much rain. My father was a wealthy man and was also part of the Daraawiish. He was severely injured in Jigjiga before he was later taken to an area called Garloogube in the hinterland," he said.

Cali Shucaac attended the Quranic school in the Yucub area, where he became one of the young students of the scholar Sheikh Cali Suufi. Later, he attended school in the city of Qabridaharre. At another time, he went to study in the city of Harar.

A few years after Somalia gained independence, a war broke out between it and Ethiopia in 1964. At that time, Cali Shucaac was among the soldiers recruited from the city of Muqdisho who later took military courses abroad, such as in Russia.

"When we returned to the country, we were assigned to the forces that were liberating this region. We trained in several areas including Yaaq-bariweye, Qoriilow, and other places," he said in an interview with local media.

Ibraahin Maxamed Xuseen, known as Ibraahin Dheere, who is now the Chairman of the Freedom and Equality Party (FEB) of the Somali Regional Government, spoke to the BBC about the personality of Cali Shoocaac and what he knew about him.

"When we fled the war between Ethiopia and Somalia in 1977 and reached Somalia, Cali was among those who helped us by providing training and encouragement," he said.

Cali Shucaac was also part of the Somali National Army, where he reached the rank of Colonel.

He recounted how he came to be known by the famous name Cali Shoocaac, describing it as a name that originated from the training camp, meaning vigilance and that a person should be more attentive during training.

As reactions to the death of Cali Shoocaac were expressed.