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Raised primarily by his mother, Amin attended an Islamic school in the early 1940s during World War II. His life as a soldier began in earnest in 1946 when he enlisted in the King's African Rifles (KAR), a colonial military force where he quickly made a name for himself. Though he later claimed to have fought on behalf of the British during the war, it is now understood that these tales were largely fabrications meant to bolster his image. His military career continued to rise until he gained the title of "effendi," indicating a significant rank in the KAR by 1959.