Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale Barre Adan Shire ( , ) , also known as Barre Hiiraale , Barre " Hirale " Aden Shire , or Abdikadir Adan Shire , is a former Minister of Defense of the Somali Transitional Federal Government ( TFG ) . He was previously the TFG Minister for National Reconstruction and Resettlement . Hiiraale was also the Chairman of the now defunct Juba Valley Alliance , which controlled Southern and Southwestern Somalia , including the nation ' s third - largest city , the strategic port town of Kismayo . During his time in office , Hiiraale presided over the country ' s largest autonomous area , as well as commanding an extensive militia . Biography . Barre Hiiraale was born in Geladin , which today is part of the Ogaden region in Ethiopia . He later moved to neighbouring Abudwak in the Galgadud region of Somalia , and from there on to Mogadishu for secondary school . For his post - secondary education , Hiiraale attended the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point . That scholarship and patronage were part of Cold War - era treaties signed by Mogadishu and Washington in exchange for Washington ' s use of naval facilities in the coastal Somali cities of Kismayo , Mogadishu , and Berbera . Hiiraale returned to Somalia with a degree in Military Science , as well as Political Relations in military warfare . Somali Civil War . In the years of the Somali Civil War , he served as the commander of the Somali National Front ( SNF ) . Under Col . Hirale ' s command , the SNF defeated the forces of Mohamed Farah Aidid and his USC in the Gedo region . The SNF then took control of Kismayo and the Lower Jubba region with the defeat and ousting of Mohammed Said Hersi " Morgan " and his SRRC Allied militias composed of the Ogaden SPM , the Harti SSDF , and the Rahanweyn RRA . Juba Valley Alliance . He was chairman of the Juba Valley Alliance ( Isbahaysiga Dooxada Jubba ) , which declared autonomy from the rest of Somalia in 1998 , and controlled Kismayo and the Juba Valley until the defeat of his forces by the ICU in 2006 . On August 6 , 2001 , after 10 days of heavy fighting in a battle involving 40 technical s and 1 , 000 militiamen , the JVA took the town of Jilib from the SRRC . With hopes to end the violence , Col . Hirale participated in the Somali Reconciliation Conference , held in Eldoret , Kenya , in 2002 . Transitional Federal Government . Col . Hirale serves as Defense Minister in Somalia ' s Transitional Federal Government . In November 2005 , he was instrumental in making a compromise proposal to help establish the TFG . He suffered the loss of Kismayo in September 2006 , and further defeat during ICU ' s takeover of the Juba Valley in October 2006 . On October 14 , his wife was arrested in Kismayo , along with a number of other women . He regrouped his forces in Gedo region , and successfully lead the counterattacking TFG forces , who , alongside Ethiopian troops , won successive battles during December 2006 , eventually forcing the ICU back to Mogadishu , where , on December 29 , the TFG and Ethiopian forces took Mogadishu . Retaking the Juba Valley . On December 29 , 2006 , TFG forces under Defense Minister ( and former head of the Juba Valley Alliance ) Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale entered Bu ' aale , approximately 150 km north of Kismayo . Ethiopian jets continued to patrol over Jilib , and a column of 15 tanks was reported heading towards Bu ' aale and Jilib . The Islamic militia reportedly mined the road to Jilib . Battle of Jilib . On December 31 , 2006 , the Battle of Jilib determined the control of the approaches to Kismayo . The result of the battle was the retaking of Kismayo on January 1 , 2007 , which was abandoned by ICU forces . Peace Building . On December 31 , 2006 , the Defense minister and his army confronted two opposing militias who were disputing the control of a vehicle left behind . Apparently , upon the Defense minister approaching them , they both united their guns towards the Defense minister and his army , forcing them to defend themselves . The casualties reported numbered 10 for the combined militia and 2 for the Defense minister . Pardon Offered to Islamists . On January 2 , 2007 , in Kismayo , Col . Hiiraale offered an amnesty to former members of the ICU forces . He also spoke about the strength of the new government : " You have heard a lot of times that the transitional government is weak . . . But I will confirm [ to ] you that the national army are in control of all regions in the country - east , centre and south . " Arrest by Ethiopia . On May 3 , 2011 , it was reported Barre Hirale was arrested by Ethiopian forces near Dolow , in the Gedo region , but was released shortly .