▁were ▁intellect uals ▁and ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁armed ▁forces ▁and ▁police . ▁( General ▁Moh amed ▁Ab sh ir ▁Muse , ▁the ▁chief ▁of ▁police , ▁had ▁res igned ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁elections ▁after ▁ref using ▁to ▁permit ▁police ▁vehicles ▁to ▁transport ▁SY L ▁vot ers ▁to ▁the ▁pol ls .) ▁Of ▁these ▁diss atisf ied ▁groups , ▁the ▁most ▁significant ▁element ▁was ▁the ▁military , ▁which ▁since ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁had ▁remained ▁outside ▁politics . ▁It ▁had ▁done ▁so ▁partly ▁because ▁the ▁government ▁had ▁not ▁called ▁upon ▁it ▁for ▁support ▁and ▁partly ▁because , ▁unlike ▁most ▁other ▁African ▁armed ▁forces , ▁the ▁Som ali ▁National ▁Army ▁had ▁a ▁genu ine ▁external ▁mission ▁in ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁all ▁Som alis ▁– ▁that ▁of ▁protect ing ▁the ▁borders ▁with ▁Eth iop ia ▁and ▁Ken ya . ▁ ▁The ▁Ka ' a an ▁Period ▁ ▁- ▁K aca ank ii ▁▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁- 1 9 9 1 ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁while ▁pay ing ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁the ▁northern ▁town ▁of ▁Las ▁An od , ▁Som alia ' s ▁then ▁President ▁Ab dir ash id ▁Ali ▁Sh erm ar ke ▁was ▁shot ▁dead ▁by ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁body gu ards . ▁His ▁assass ination ▁was ▁quickly ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁military ▁coup ▁d ' état ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁( the ▁day ▁after ▁his ▁fun eral ), ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Som ali