Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism

The Somali Warlord Alliance, officially called the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (abbreviated ARPCT; Isbaheysiga Ladagaalanka Argagaxisadda), was a Somali alliance created by various Somali warlords and businessmen with the backing of the American Central Intelligence Agency in order to challenge the emerging influence of the Islamic Courts Union during the Somali Civil War.

The leadership of the alliance consisted Botan Ise Alin, Mohammed Dheere, Mohamed Qanyare, Musa Sudi Yalahow, Nuur Daqle, Abdi Hasan Awale Qeybdiid, Omar Muhamoud Finnish and others. Some of them were ministers within the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

The Islamic Courts Union and warlord alliance fought the Battle of Mogadishu during spring and summer of 2006. The battle ended in a decisive victory for the Islamic Courts, and by July 10th, the ICU took full control of the city. Following the defeat, the TFG removed 4 prominent ARPCT members from the positions they had held in the government. Abdi Hasan Awale Qeybdiid defected from the alliance in June 2006, saying that "Since the formation of ARPCT, Mogadishu has been a centre of a military crisis that has led to the needless death of hundreds of people, therefore I decide to quit the alliance to build on the gains of the Islamic tribunals and give peace a chance".

As the Ethiopian invasion was underway in September 2006, ENDF forces in Somalia began rearming some warlords who had been defeated by the ICU during the battle for Mogadishu. When Ethiopian and TFG troops advanced on Mogadishu four months later at the end of December 2006, they were followed by the warlords. The Ethiopians allowed numerous warlords to regain control over the fiefdoms they had previously lost to the courts.

CIA backing
Michael Zorick (the U.S. State Department's political officer for Somalia), who had been stationed in Nairobi, was reassigned to Chad after he sent a cable to Washington criticizing Washington's policy of paying Somali warlords. The New York Times stated, "The American activities in Somalia have been approved by top officials in Washington and were reaffirmed during a National Security Council meeting about Somalia in March." The International Crisis Group, which had direct contacts with the warlords, said in June 2006 that the CIA was funnelling $100,000 to $150,000 a month to the ARPCT. The US refused to confirm or deny these reports.

On 7 June 2006, the Republic of the Congo's president and current African Union head, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, criticized the United States for its involvement in fighting in Mogadishu following his meeting with President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.