Aideed became interim president and died fighting the Abgal in 1996.

Evidence

Unfortunately, however, as we shall see, his disastrous legacy cast a long and deadly shadow over the politics of southern Somalia which would continue for many years. On 15 June, ousted from the leadership of the United Somali Congress/Somali National Alliance by Ali Mahdi and other opponents, ‘Aideed managed to get himself appointed ‘interim President’, surrounded by an odd bunch of cronies as ‘Ministers’, including a few disaffected figures from Somaliland who sought to embark on a second career. The Habar Gidir were on the warpath again, and ‘Aideed succeeded in extending their empire into the inter-riverine hinterland by capturing Baidoa, Hoddur and Dalow. Conflict with the Abgal intensified in Mogadishu, with fighting in April 1996 over rivalry between their U.S. and Italian agents for control of banana exports. In a fierce engagement between Abgal and Habar Gidir gunmen in Mogadishu in August 1996, ‘Aideed was seriously wounded (according to some reports, by militiamen loyal to Muse Soodi Yalahow, according to others by ‘Osman ‘Ali ‘Atto’s forces) and died a few days later. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 652

Categorization

• XREF: The U.S. versus Italian rivalry over banana exports ties Mogadishu clan war to Cold War-era proxy competition.