US Troops Land in Somalia

Date: December 9, 1992 • Location: Iskushuban, Somalia

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1992–1993.

American troops land in Somalia for Operation Restore Hope.

Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. Stretching across the Horn of Africa, it borders Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the east. Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa's mainland. Somalia has an estimated population over 19 million, of which 2.7 million live in the capital and largest city, Mogadishu. As one of Africa's most ethnically homogeneous countries, around 85% of its residents are ethnic Somalis. The official and national language of the country is Somali, and Arabic is recognised as a second language. The overwhelming majority of the population are Sunni Muslims.