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OPERATION GOTHIC SERPENT

In January 1991, Somalian President Mohammed Siad Barre was overthrown by a coalition of opposing clans, precipitating the Somali Civil War. In September 1991, severe fighting broke out in Mogadishu, which continued in the following months and spread throughout the country, with over 20,000 people killed or injured by the end of the year.

These wars led to the destruction of Somalia’s agriculture, which in turn led to starvation in large parts of the country. The international community began to send food supplies to halt the starvation, but vast amounts of food were hijacked and brought to local clan leaders, who routinely exchanged it with other countries for weapons. An estimated 80 percent of the food was stolen. These factors led to even more starvation, from which an estimated 300,000 people died and another 1.5 million people suffered between 1991 and 1992.

Operation Provide Relief began in August 1992, when U.S. President George H. W. Bush announced that U.S. military transports would support the multinational U.N. relief effort in Somalia. The U.S delivered 48,000 tons of food and medical supplies in six months to international humanitarian organizations trying to help Somalia’s more than three million starving people.

When this proved inadequate to stop the massive death and displacement of the Somali people (500,000 dead and 1.5 million refugees or displaced), the U.S. launched a major coalition operation to assist and protect humanitarian activities in December 1992. Operation Restore Hope.

The Battle of Mogadishu. A part of Operation Gothic Serpent, took place on 3 - 4 October 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia, between forces of the United States and Somali militiamen loyal to the self-proclaimed president-to-be Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

The initial U.S. Joint Special Operations force, Task Force Ranger, was a collaboration of various elite special forces units such as U.S. Army Rangers, 1st SFOD-D “Delta Force”, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment; Air Force Combat Controllers, Air Force Pararescuemen, and Navy SEALs from the Development Group (DEVGRU).

Task Force Ranger was dispatched to seize two of Aidid’s high-ranking lieutenants during a meeting in the city. The goal of the operation was achieved, but initially only intended to last an hour. The operation spiraled into an overnight standoff and rescue operation extending into the daylight hours of 4 October.