2014 Event Zakariya Ahmed Ismail Hersi, a key member of the military arm of the al-Qaeda-affiliated group al-Shabab, surrenders to police; the group seeks to take over the U.N.-supported Somali government 2012 Event After two decades of being closed due to civil war, the Somali National Theater reopens in Mogadishu 2011 Event A Mongolian bulk carrier sailing off the coast of Oman is seized by Somali pirates 2010 Event A Chinese ship with 29 crew is attacked by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea 2010 Event Somali pirates seized Indian crewmen and the Panamanian-flagged ship they were sailing off the coast of Tanzania 2010 Event Somali pirates seize a freighter from Syria with 24 crewmembers in the Gulf of Aden 2010 Event Somali pirates seize a German-owned tanker, MS Marida Marguerite, off the coast of Somalia 2010 Event 8 Indian vessels are hijacked and 120 sailors are abducted by Somali pirates and off the cost of Kismayo 2010 Event Somali troops demolish 500 homes near the airport in Mogdishu 2010 Event The second day of conflict between Somali government troops and opposition forces in Mogadishu results in more than 20 civilian deaths 2010 Event Danish special forces storm a ship captured by Somali pirates, freeing 25 crewmembers on board 2010 Event Somali pirates seize a North-Korean flagged cargo ship south of Yemen 2010 Event A 28-year old Somali male is shot for breaking into Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoonist Jurt Westergaard's home and threatening his family with an axe 1993 Event Somali General Aidids arm forces kill 18 U.S. Rangers 1993 Event Somali warlord Aidids murders 23 Pakistani 1990 Event United Somali Congress seizes Presidential Palace 1979 Event Somali constitution approved by president 1979 Event Somali adopts constitution 1969 Event Major General Mohamed Siad Barre becomes President of Somali 1960 Event Italian Somaliland gains independence, unites with Somali Republic
