The study, for the first time in Russian historiography, examines in detail the political history of Somalia during the period of the collapse of the state and the civil war, which has been going on for a quarter of a century, and analyzes the main factors that have a decisive impact on the development of a multilateral armed conflict - the clan structure of Somali society, the influence of Islamic fundamentalism, the role external forces. The author examines the processes of formation, structure and activities of the political, military and religious groups participating in the conflict.