2006 timeline of the War in Somalia
Encyclopedia
The timeline of events in the War in Somalia during 2006 is set out below.
On December 20, first major hostilities broke out on many sides around Baidoa. Heavy shooting broke out between Somali government troops and Islamists 25 km (15.5 mi) southeast of Baidoa where the Islamists claimed to have taken the government's military base in Daynuunay. The conflict thereafter moved north to the Islamist stronghold in Moode Moode (also spelled "Mode Mode"). Heavy weapons, including artillery, rockets and mortars were involved. Initial claims of fighting in this area were at least ten dead ICU militiamen and forty TFG troops wounded. Later claims of ICU casualties by the TFG were 71 Islamic soldiers dead and 221 injured, including two dead foreign fighters. The TFG claimed its own casualties were 3 dead and 7 wounded while the ICU claimed to have killed 7 government troops.
Fighting was reported on many fronts around the capital in Iidale village (55 km south of Baidoa), Buulo Jadid (23 km north of Baidoa, also spelled Bullo Jadid), and Manaas (30 km southwest of Baidoa). One TFG death and numerous injured civilians were reported in Iidale. A later report raised the casualties to three soldiers killed and two injured. Thirteen trucks filled with Ethiopian reinforcements were reported en route to the fighting.
An AFP report mentioned the TFG claimed the attack on Iidale was led by Abu Taha al-Sudan
, who is "wanted by Washington for carrying out attacks against its embassies in east Africa in 1998 and against an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya in 2002
."
This report raised the death toll from the artillery duel in Iidale to 12, and added that the government captured 30 "armed vehicles" (presumably technicals). It also contradicted the fall of Daynuunay to the ICU: "'The fighting is so fierce, but government forces are still controlling Daynuunay,' said Issak Adan Mursaley, a resident in Daynuunay."
Meanwhile, an EU peace-brokering commission led by Louis Michel
landed at Baidoa and then Mogadishu to meet respectively with the TFG and ICU representatives. Discussions yielded the agreement to meet in Khartoum
, Sudan
at an unspecified future date.
In Dadaab
Kenya
, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Wendy Chamberlin
, said camps there accounted for 34,000 refugees fleeing the fighting and floods in Somalia, but that number is expected to grow to 80,000 if fighting continues. The World Food Programme
(WFP) is attempting to provide relief, but floods and mud have hampered ground transportation.
Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, speaking for the ICU, claimed fighting was going its way in Iidale and Buulo Jadid, saying they captured two technicals, killed nine soldiers, and had taken prisoners in the fighting.
On December 21, Puntland
President Adde Muse claimed ICU casualties were heavy in the fighting around Baidoa, sustaining 75 dead and 125 wounded, along with the loss of 30 vehicles burned or captured.
Also reported that same day, fighting in Idale and Daynuunay was said to have started the prior morning and continued through the next day. No stint in the fighting seemed to be coming, as both sides continued to gather reinforcements. Casualty figures were unavailable, but the numbers were expected to be in the hundreds easily. The report went on to refute ICU claim of victory, and stated the government again possession of Iidale and killed foreign fighters.
The government reportedly captured dozens of Islamist students who took up arms, sufficient in quantity to fill three lorries. Islamist militias were said to have taken away the bodies of 70 dead, with another 45 severely wounded being at area hospitals. Conflicting reports from the ICU claim they killed 203 Ethiopian troops and wounded another 200, with the loss of only 20 men and 53 wounded. IRIN confirmed through medical sources at least 50 were killed on both sides and at least 150 to 200 wounded. Civilians were fleeing the area to avoid the heavy fighting.
On December 23, dozens of dead Ethiopian soldiers were displayed by Islamists to journalists in the recently captured town of Iidale.
The Arab League
called for a halt in the fighting, and offered to co-host peace talks between the combatants.
On December 24, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
appeared on television to declare its defense forces
had been forced to enter a war against the Islamists. Ethiopian warplanes reportedly began bombing ICU targets, including Dinsoor
and Burhakaba
in the Bay region as part of the counter-offensive in the Battle of Baidoa
.
Five Ethiopian tanks were said to have been destroyed in the fighting according to Islamists.
On December 24, in Kismayo
, 1,000 men were said to be leaving for the Battle of Baidoa
, presumably to fight on behalf of the ICU.
On December 26, a general retreat from positions held by the ICU was ordered from the front in Baidoa
. Burhakaba and Dinsoor were vacated after days of fierce fighting against Ethiopian-backed TFG
forces. Ethiopian forces arrived in the towns during the retreat, according to some sources.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi solidified his position of temporary intervention, saying he would not send Ethiopian military units into the Somali capital, Mogadishu, but encircle the city instead so as to contain the ICU. A government spokesman appeared to offhandedly conflict with this statement however, by saying of the ICU retreat: ‘This is the first stage of victory… When this is all over, we will enter Mogadishu peacefully.’ Ethiopian bombings continued, with three people killed in Leego, east of Burhakaba.
A great deal of speculation, along with claims and refutations, dealt with the number of Ethiopian forces involved in the war. According to an estimate by Rome-based Globe Research, Ethiopian forces around Baidoa were estimated to number about a division of 12,000 soldiers. Baidoa airport hosted a squadron of helicopters, and was being expanded by Ethiopian engineers to accommodate fighter aircraft. New radar was being installed. A second division of light infantry was being positioned against Beledweyne
. A third prong was set to advance on Kismayo.
region.
.
On December 23, 2006, 500 Ethiopian troops and 8 tanks were reported to be heading towards Bandiradley
.
On December 24, 2006, Ethiopia admitted its troops are fighting the Islamists. Ethiopian warplanes bombed ICU targets in Jawil and Kala-Bayrka 30 km south of Beledweyne
in the Hiran
region (190 miles, 300 km north of Mogadishu) and also struck Bandiradley
, in Mudug
(435 miles, 700 km north of Mogadishu). According to one witness: "We see planes striking us and heavy fighting on the ground intensifying."
Twelve men, identified as Ethiopian prisoners of war, were reported taken in Beledweyne. Eight Ethiopian aircraft were reported to have struck Beledweyne and its residential areas, causing protests in the streets. Ethiopian tanks cut the main Kala-Bayrka road, isolating the town.
Abdulahi Mire Areys, commander of forces for the semi-autonomous government of Puntland
in Bandiradley
say they were attacked by the ICU, including mortar fire.
ICU commander Mohamud Mohamed Jimale ("Aga-Weyne", "Big Feet") said Ethiopians had attacked Bandiradley and the Saddeh-Higlo region of Mudug.
Ethiopian forces, accompanied by the militia of warlord Abdi Qeybdid and the forces of Puntland occupied the ICU barracks of Bandiradley. (Abdi Qeybdid was the last warlord ousted from Mogadishu in July, 2006.) ICU spokesman Sheik Mohamood Jimale Agoweyne, stated Ethiopian aircraft were basing out of Galkayo airport.
On December 25, ICU officer Sheik Abdiqani Qorane Mohammed claimed Islamist forces killed an unspecified number of Ethiopian troops and downed an Ethiopian helicopter gunship at Bandiradley, while spokesman Sheik Asbdrahman Jiunikow admitted the ICU had retreated from Beledweyne
, leaving it to advancing Ethiopian forces after a day of battle
. Fighting was also said to be near Jawil in Hiran.
Fighting had advanced in the north, between Bandiradley in Mudug and Galinsor just inside the border of Adado
district, Galgadud. Late in the day, Ethiopian troops had advanced from Galinsor and taken Adado, Galgadud, after the ICU abandoned the town following fierce fighting.
In Hiran, Ethiopian forces were reported to have taken both Beledweyne
and Buuloburde, with unconfirmed reports that "hundreds of Ethiopian tanks" were moving along the road towards Jowhar
. This presents a threat of a major flanking of ICU positions in Tiyoglow and Burhakaba
by striking towards the Shabeellaha Dhexe
area. The Ethiopian forces were accompanied by Somali warlord Mohamed Omar Habeb 'Mohamed Dhere,' who wished to reestablish his control over Jowhar. The returning ex-Governor of Hiran, Yusuf Dagabed, proclaimed that the town of Beledweyne was liberated and it was again legal to chew khat
.
The loss of Adado
meant that it became the third to fall to the advancing Ethiopian forces, after Bandiradley
and Beledweyne
. This has left the ICU vulnerable, with Jowhar
their furthermost stronghold (90 kilometres north-east of Mogadishu) after losing vast amounts of territory as quickly as they had gained several months ago. Unconfirmed reports now say that this is due to a change in strategy by the ICU so as to employ guerilla warfare against the more technologically advanced Ethiopian military
. The leader of the Council of Islamic Courts executive body appeared to confirm this: "The war is entering a new phase… we will fight Ethiopia for a long, long time and we expect the war to go everyplace." Other Islamic leaders did explicitly threaten guerilla war within Ethiopia, by placing Addis Ababa
as a target for suicide bombings. In response to this, the Ethiopian-backed TFG announced an amnesty to any ICU fighter who renounced violence by giving up arms. "The government will not take revenge," a government spokesman was reported to have said.
On December 26, it became known that ICU forces completely left Mudug, Galgadud, Hiran, Bay and Bakool provinces, clinging to Shabeellaha Dhexe province. Ethiopian forces were predicted to take this in the coming days. This amounted to a ninety per cent loss of territory of what the ICU once had before the Ethiopian intervention. The Islamic courts claimed that they would adopt the Taliban-style guerilla warfare that has been used in Afghanistan.
(ONLF) claimed to have attacked an Ethiopian column near Baraajisale heading to Somalia, destroying 4 of 20 vehicles, inflicting casualties and driving the convoy back.
On January 15, ONLF rebels attacked Ethiopian soldiers in Qabri-Dahar, Garbo, and Fiiq. Five Ethiopian soldiers and one ONLF rebel have been reported killed.
On December 25 Ethiopian jets bombed Mogadishu's main airport held by the ICU since June. Witnesses reported MiG
fighter jets fired missiles into the airport twice. One person was killed and a number injured. Further north, Beledweyne
was also bombed, according to witnesses. The fighting between the Ethiopian-backed TFG and the ICU became stretched to over 400 km (248.5 mi) of land.
Bali-Dogle airport in southern Somalia was also reported struck. This airport lies 115 km northwest of Mogadishu in the district of Wanlaweyne about half-way between the capital and the front lines at Burhakaba.
The TFG declared the borders of Somalia were closed. The Ethiopian attacks on the airports were due to claims the airports had recently been used for "unauthorized flights." This presumably relates to prior flights allegedly carrying Islamist volunteers wishing to fight for the ICU.
On December 26, 2006 the Council of Islamic Courts fighters retreated from the main frontline after a week of artillery and mortar duels and attacks by Somalian transitional government and Ethiopian soldiers, witnesses say. Ethiopian forces took control of Burhakaba early on Tuesday without any fighting, Jama Nur, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Mogadishu, reported. Transitional government and Ethiopian forces have moved 40 km towards the capital since taking control of Baladweyne town on Monday, he said.
Islamist spokesman Abdi Kafi said in response to the impending Ethiopian attack on the capital that "It will be their destruction and doomsday" and that "It is a matter of time before we start striking at them from all directions".
"A joint Somali government and Ethiopian force has broken the back of the international terrorist forces… These forces are in full retreat," Meles Zenawi
told reporters in Addis Ababa
, adding that up to 1,000 Islamist fighters had been killed. "A few are Somali but the majority are foreigners," he said of the dead.
Meles said that the Ethiopian army was half-way on its mission in Somalia. Ethiopian Ambassador to Somalia, Abdulkarin Farah took time to list some of the 17 cities Ethiopian and Somali government forces had overrun:
Lastly, he said that the Ethiopian and TFG forces were advancing on the airport at Bali-Dogle.
Ethiopian troops were accused by Islamic leader Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed of massacring 50 civilians in the central town of Cadado
Ethiopian forces advancing south towards Jowhar
were reported facing off ICU troops in Fidow in Hiran and Bur Weyn (the latter is half-way between Buulo Burde and Jalalaqsi
). Later Jalalaqsi was reported taken. There, Mohamed Dhere urged for peace as he advanced towards Jowhar. Dhusamareeb was also described as abandoned by the ICU.
On December 27, 2006, the New York Times reported analysts in Nairobi
, Kenya
claimed US surveillance aircraft were funnelling information to Ethiopian forces. Maj. Kelley Thibodeau said she was "not at liberty to discuss" the matter. There was also a claim Eritrean forces were arming the ICU with anti-aircraft missiles to defend Mogadishu.
ICU forces, on the run since suffering defeats against advancing Ethiopian and TFG forces, rallied at Jimbale, 140 kilometres (87 mi) north of Mogadishu. This began a brief battle for the strategic ICU stronghold of Jowhar
. (See Battle of Jowhar
)
After losing this town, the ICU also abandoned Balad
, just north of Mogadishu.
On the advance from Burhakaba, government forces were met with stiff resistance in Leego, on the approaches to Lower Shabelle. The position of Somalia Muslim brotherhood leaders changed substantially Islah
.
fighter jets. This represented a significant commitment of its total armored forces given the country has an estimated 170 T-55
, 50 T-62
, and 50 T-72
tanks in its army. It was unclear how many of Ethiopia's estimated 25 MiG-21, 12 MiG-23 or 12 Sukhoi-27 aircraft were committed to the conflict.
to Mogadishu until it surrenders. "We are not going to fight for Mogadishu to avoid civilian casualties… Our troops will surround Mogadishu until they surrender," he told reporters in Addis Ababa.
ICU troops abandoned their barracks in the town of Balcad
, the last town before the outskirts of Mogadishu. Ethiopian and Somali government forces, accompanied by patrolling Ethiopian jets, approached within 30 km of the city.
The hope was to take the city with minimal violence. TFG spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said, "Islamic courts militias are already on the run and we hope that Mogadishu will fall to our hands without firing a shot."
Clan leaders in Mogadishu considered whether to back the government troops advancing on the capital. This would preempt a possible lengthy and bloody fight for the capital and deal a devastating blow to the Islamic Courts. Islamic fighters were seen changing out of their uniforms and into civilian clothing while women were spotted on the streets selling the narcotic khat which was banned by the Islamists.
Areas in the north of Mogadishu were reported to be taken over by clan militias who rapidly switched allegiances and reversed the policies of the ICU, allowing khat
to be sold openly, and for cinemas to reopen. Some ICU fighters are said to have fled towards the port city of Kismayo, their last remaining stronghold, 300 miles (482.8 km) to the south. Remaining ICU troops were reported shaving their beards
or in hiding and there was speculation in the capital that Kismayo
would fall soon.
Islamists turned over their weapons to local clan leaders and militias in the capital. Islamists in the Karan neighborhood of Mogadishu handed over their weapons to Abukar Bolow, a subordinate of a former Mogadishu warlord who welcomed TFG forces, while in the neighborhoods of Boondheere and Siinay, ICU fighters handed over their weapons to local clan militias, who placed posters of Abdullahi Yusuf
and Ali Ghedi
on their battlewagon
s. Furthermore, the Hawiye
, Somalia's largest clan, began discussing a peaceful resolution with the interim government. According to several eyewitnesses on the scene, the stability created by the Islamic militias has also begun to collapse with people returning to their homes and bandits once again roaming the streets.
The top leaders of the ICU, including Sheikh
Hassan Dahir Aweys
, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
and Sheikh Abdirahman Janaqow
, resigned in anticipation of the siege in order to prevent more bloodshed. Their official press release called upon ICU fighters to secure the areas in which they were stationed and expressed their regret that foreign powers had invaded the country and that Somalia would return to chaos, losing the "significant acts" that they claim to have brought to Somalians. They issued the following decisions:
On December 28, TFG spokesman Abdirahman Dinari cautiously expressed, "We are taking control of the city and I will confirm when we have established complete control… Our forces already effectively control Mogadishu because we have taken over the two control points on the main roads outside the city… Within two to three hours we will capture the whole city." He also added the government was in control of 95% of the country, but a state of emergency would be imposed to bring law and order back to the country. An ebullient Member of Parliament, Mohamed Jama Fuurah called Reuters from the port of Mogadishu saying, "The government has taken over Mogadishu. We are now in charge." Pro-government militias were said to control of key locations, including the former presidential palace. Ali Ghedi
, the Prime Minister of the transitional government, stated that Somali government troops had entered Mogadishu without resistance, as well as the town of Afgoye on its outskirts. Mohamed Jama Furuh, a member of parliament and former warlord, took control of Mogadishu's seaport on the government's behalf, an area he had controlled before the rise of the ICU as a warlord. The President, Abdullahi Yusuf, asserted that TFG troops were not a threat to the city-dwellers, though there were some reports of gunfire in the city.
Meles Zenawi declared Ethiopia's mission in Somalia 75% completed with the occupation of Mogadishu by the government, with the only uncompleted task being the capturing of foreign fighters and defeat of remaining "extremists." As the army martialled at Afgoye, outside of Mogadishu, over 500 vehicles could be seen assembled, including over 200 Ethiopian tanks. Only 35 of the vehicles belonged to the TFG.
On December 29, Mohamed Qanyare, another Mogadishu warlord, returned to the city and made a plea for the federal government to not disarm the militias. Qanyare was former TFG Security Minister before losing his position as a result of the Second Battle of Mogadishu
. Gedi's decree for disarmament also applied to non-government troops in the autonomous state of Puntland
, where it was seen as questionably enforceable.
Anti-Ethiopian sentiment is on the rise with hundreds protesting against their presence in the capital. Another development is the appearance of masked men which has never happened before and may signal the beginnings of an Iraq-style insurgency.
On December 31, in Mogadishu a missile aimed at Ethiopian troops slammed into a residential area reportedly killing one woman and injuring a man and their daughter. Also, an explosion occurred around 9pm local time at the Hotel Ramadan in Yaaqshiid district, former headquarters of the ICU. Two people were injured. It was speculated that the target might have been Ethiopian troops who had taken over control of the hotel.
Assistant Trade Minister for the TFG, Abdifitah Ibrahim Rashid, accused men loyal to Defense Minister Col. Barre Hiiraale
of killing ten civilians and kidnapping ten others near Dinsor, Bay region. The incident came after a man was caught driving a pickup truck loaded with ammunition and explosives. The truck had belonged to the Juba Valley Alliance
before it was seized in fighting at Bu'aale
by the ICU earlier in the year.
In an effort to head off additional bloodshed, Yusuf Ahmed Hagar "Dabageed," returning governor of Hiran, called for an end of three days of reprisals conducted by men loyal to him and the TFG. He urged an end to the hunting for former members of the Islamist militias offered assurances that those who were now mingled with the rest of the population would not be hurt or killed.
valley at Salagle and Sakow
, north of Bu'aale
. The ICU had been in possession of Salagle for two weeks, taking the town on December 13. Sakow had fallen to the ICU in October after they defeated the Juba Valley Alliance
.
ICU forces in Kismayo
were reported retreating towards Mogadishu, and TFG forces were advancing towards Bu'aale from Dinsoor, while the rest of the Jubbada Hoose
and Jubbada Dhexe
areas were calm.
, 65 miles (104.6 km) north of Kismayo. A confidential UN situational report stated that Islamists were going door-to-door to recruit fighters as young as 12 in Kismayo, citing families who claim relatives had been taken to Jilib to fight. Only the most hardcore fighters, numbering about 3,000, are still opposing the government according to some former ICU militiamen.
) Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale
entered Bu'aale
, approximately 150 km north of Kismayo. Ethiopian jets continued to patrol over Jilib, and a column of 15 tanks was reported heading towards Bu'aale and Jilib. The Islamic militia reportedly mined the road to Jilib.
As Islamist leader Sheikh Aweys vowed to fight on, and called for others to create an insurgency against the government, a heavily armed column of government and Ethiopian troops advanced from Mogadishu through Lower Shabelle towards Kismayo. They reached Bulo Marer (Kurtun Warrey district) and were heading to Baravo.
On Saturday, December 30, joint Ethiopian/TFG troops had reached the town of Jilib
, the last major town on the road to Kismayo. Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed urged the ICU soldiers to fight on.
On Sunday December 31, fighting began in the thick mango forests near Helashid, 11 miles (17.7 km) to the northwest of Jilib. Ethiopian MiG
fighters, tanks, artillery and mortars struck Islamic positions in the assault. Residents reported the road to Jilib was littered with remote-controlled landmines by the ICU and three bridges leading to the town have been destroyed.
TFG and Ethiopian forces also attacked Bulobaley, raining down fire from mortars and rockets. In Jilib, Islamists used bulldozers to prepare trenches and defensive positions. They had about 3,000 fighters and 60 technicals
mounted with antiaircraft and antitank guns. Up to 4,700 people fled the area ahead of the fighting.
At approximately 5:00pm, a heavy gun battle erupted on the outskirts of Jilib town between Islamic fighters and the Ethiopian-backed interim government troops. Tanks and armored vehicles were reported committed by Ethiopian forces. The sound of heavy artillery fires could be heard in Jamame town near Jilib, local residents said.
During the night, artillery strikes continued, eventually forcing the ICU frontlines to falter. A mutiny within the ICU caused their forces to disintegrate, and abandon both Jilib and Kismayo. They were reported to be fleeing towards the Kenyan border.
| Month | Ethiopian soldiers |
Somali soldiers |
Civilians | Insurgents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 500 | 200 | 215 | 1,000 |
| Sources: http://www.shabelle.net/news/ne2163.htm | ||||
Battle of Baidoa
Fighting was reported on many fronts around the capital in Iidale village (55 km south of Baidoa), Buulo Jadid (23 km north of Baidoa, also spelled Bullo Jadid), and Manaas (30 km southwest of Baidoa). One TFG death and numerous injured civilians were reported in Iidale. A later report raised the casualties to three soldiers killed and two injured. Thirteen trucks filled with Ethiopian reinforcements were reported en route to the fighting.
An AFP report mentioned the TFG claimed the attack on Iidale was led by Abu Taha al-Sudan
Abu Taha al-Sudan
Abu Taha Al-Sudan was a suspected member of Al Qaeda terrorist organization, reported to be an explosives expert....
, who is "wanted by Washington for carrying out attacks against its embassies in east Africa in 1998 and against an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya in 2002
Kenyan hotel bombing
The 2002 Mombasa attacks refer to an Israeli-owned hotel and a plane belonging to an Israeli airline in Mombasa, Kenya that were targeted on 28 November 2002. A red all-terrain vehicle crashed through a barrier outside the Paradise Hotel and blew up when it hit the lobby. Also two surface-to-air...
."
This report raised the death toll from the artillery duel in Iidale to 12, and added that the government captured 30 "armed vehicles" (presumably technicals). It also contradicted the fall of Daynuunay to the ICU: "'The fighting is so fierce, but government forces are still controlling Daynuunay,' said Issak Adan Mursaley, a resident in Daynuunay."
Meanwhile, an EU peace-brokering commission led by Louis Michel
Louis Michel
Louis H. O. Ch. Michel is a Belgian politician. He served in the government of Belgium as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2004 and was European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid from 2004 to 2009. Since 2009, he has been a Member of the European Parliament...
landed at Baidoa and then Mogadishu to meet respectively with the TFG and ICU representatives. Discussions yielded the agreement to meet in Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
at an unspecified future date.
In Dadaab
Dadaab
Dadaab is a semi-arid town in the North Eastern Province in Kenya. As of 2011, it hosts what is often described as the largest refugee camp in the world.-General:...
Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Wendy Chamberlin
Wendy Chamberlin
Wendy Chamberlin is a veteran diplomat who has served in the United States Department of State and USAID, worked for the UN High Commissioner on Refugees , and now serves as President of the Middle East Institute.- US Department of State :...
, said camps there accounted for 34,000 refugees fleeing the fighting and floods in Somalia, but that number is expected to grow to 80,000 if fighting continues. The World Food Programme
World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
(WFP) is attempting to provide relief, but floods and mud have hampered ground transportation.
Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, speaking for the ICU, claimed fighting was going its way in Iidale and Buulo Jadid, saying they captured two technicals, killed nine soldiers, and had taken prisoners in the fighting.
On December 21, Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
President Adde Muse claimed ICU casualties were heavy in the fighting around Baidoa, sustaining 75 dead and 125 wounded, along with the loss of 30 vehicles burned or captured.
Also reported that same day, fighting in Idale and Daynuunay was said to have started the prior morning and continued through the next day. No stint in the fighting seemed to be coming, as both sides continued to gather reinforcements. Casualty figures were unavailable, but the numbers were expected to be in the hundreds easily. The report went on to refute ICU claim of victory, and stated the government again possession of Iidale and killed foreign fighters.
The government reportedly captured dozens of Islamist students who took up arms, sufficient in quantity to fill three lorries. Islamist militias were said to have taken away the bodies of 70 dead, with another 45 severely wounded being at area hospitals. Conflicting reports from the ICU claim they killed 203 Ethiopian troops and wounded another 200, with the loss of only 20 men and 53 wounded. IRIN confirmed through medical sources at least 50 were killed on both sides and at least 150 to 200 wounded. Civilians were fleeing the area to avoid the heavy fighting.
On December 23, dozens of dead Ethiopian soldiers were displayed by Islamists to journalists in the recently captured town of Iidale.
The Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
called for a halt in the fighting, and offered to co-host peace talks between the combatants.
On December 24, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi Asres is the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Since 1985, he has been chairman of the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front , and is currently head of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front .Meles was born in Adwa, Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father from...
appeared on television to declare its defense forces
Military of Ethiopia
The Ethiopian National Defense Force is the military of Ethiopia. Civil direction of the military is carried out through the Ministry of Defense, which oversees the ground forces, air force, as well as the Defense Industry Sector. The current defense minister is Siraj Fergessa. . Size of the ENDF...
had been forced to enter a war against the Islamists. Ethiopian warplanes reportedly began bombing ICU targets, including Dinsoor
Dinsoor
-Overveiw:It was founded in 1805, when a group of nomads constructed a water well near a mountain area called Bug. It is the fourth largest city in the Bay province.Dinsoor has one local airport called Mecca Boqol...
and Burhakaba
Buurhakaba
-Overview:Burhakaba is the largest town in the region, with a reported population of 28,000 people. The town is named after a large hill that surrounds it.-References:*...
in the Bay region as part of the counter-offensive in the Battle of Baidoa
Battle of Baidoa
The Battle of Baidoa began on December 20, 2006 when the Somali Transitional Federal Government's forces allied with Ethiopian forces stationed there attacked advancing Islamic Courts Union forces along with 500 alleged Eritrean troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.The battle began with...
.
Five Ethiopian tanks were said to have been destroyed in the fighting according to Islamists.
On December 24, in Kismayo
Kismayu
Kismayo or Kismayu is a port city in the Jubbada Hoose province of Somalia. It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region....
, 1,000 men were said to be leaving for the Battle of Baidoa
Battle of Baidoa
The Battle of Baidoa began on December 20, 2006 when the Somali Transitional Federal Government's forces allied with Ethiopian forces stationed there attacked advancing Islamic Courts Union forces along with 500 alleged Eritrean troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.The battle began with...
, presumably to fight on behalf of the ICU.
Baidoa
Baidoa is a city in south-central Somalia, situated by road northwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is the capital of the Bay region, which is traditionally inhabited by the Digil and Mirifle clans....
. Burhakaba and Dinsoor were vacated after days of fierce fighting against Ethiopian-backed TFG
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
forces. Ethiopian forces arrived in the towns during the retreat, according to some sources.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi solidified his position of temporary intervention, saying he would not send Ethiopian military units into the Somali capital, Mogadishu, but encircle the city instead so as to contain the ICU. A government spokesman appeared to offhandedly conflict with this statement however, by saying of the ICU retreat: ‘This is the first stage of victory… When this is all over, we will enter Mogadishu peacefully.’ Ethiopian bombings continued, with three people killed in Leego, east of Burhakaba.
A great deal of speculation, along with claims and refutations, dealt with the number of Ethiopian forces involved in the war. According to an estimate by Rome-based Globe Research, Ethiopian forces around Baidoa were estimated to number about a division of 12,000 soldiers. Baidoa airport hosted a squadron of helicopters, and was being expanded by Ethiopian engineers to accommodate fighter aircraft. New radar was being installed. A second division of light infantry was being positioned against Beledweyne
Beledweyne
Beledweyne is a city in central Somalia. It is the capital of the Hiraan province, and is located in the central valley of the Shebelle river near the Ogaden, some 206 miles north of Mogadishu, the nation's capital. The Shebelle river divides the town into east and west...
. A third prong was set to advance on Kismayo.
November, 2006
On November 28, 2006 before the outbreak of general hostilities, ICU and Ethiopian troops had exchanged mortar fire in the divided province of Galkayo, MudugMudug
Mudug is an administrative region in north-central Somalia. Bordered by the Ogaden, the Somalian regions of Nugaal and Galguduud, and the Indian Ocean, its capital is the city of Galkacyo.-Districts:...
region.
December, 2006
On December 22, 2006 Ethiopian troops were said to be amassing in Galkayo for what might turn into a second front of the war near PuntlandPuntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
.
On December 23, 2006, 500 Ethiopian troops and 8 tanks were reported to be heading towards Bandiradley
Bandiiradley
Banderadley is a town in the Mudug region of Somalia. It lies 70 km southwest of the city of Gaalkacyo, along the main highway that crosses Somalia. The city has a population of approximately 50,000 and has its own airport....
.
On December 24, 2006, Ethiopia admitted its troops are fighting the Islamists. Ethiopian warplanes bombed ICU targets in Jawil and Kala-Bayrka 30 km south of Beledweyne
Beledweyne
Beledweyne is a city in central Somalia. It is the capital of the Hiraan province, and is located in the central valley of the Shebelle river near the Ogaden, some 206 miles north of Mogadishu, the nation's capital. The Shebelle river divides the town into east and west...
in the Hiran
Hiiraan
Hiran is an administrative region in south-central Somalia.-Overview:Hiiraan is bordered by the Somali Region of Ethiopia to the northwest, and the Somalian provinces of Galgudud to the northeast, Middle Shebelle) to the south, Lower Shebelle to the southwest, and Bay and Bakool to the west.The...
region (190 miles, 300 km north of Mogadishu) and also struck Bandiradley
Bandiiradley
Banderadley is a town in the Mudug region of Somalia. It lies 70 km southwest of the city of Gaalkacyo, along the main highway that crosses Somalia. The city has a population of approximately 50,000 and has its own airport....
, in Mudug
Mudug
Mudug is an administrative region in north-central Somalia. Bordered by the Ogaden, the Somalian regions of Nugaal and Galguduud, and the Indian Ocean, its capital is the city of Galkacyo.-Districts:...
(435 miles, 700 km north of Mogadishu). According to one witness: "We see planes striking us and heavy fighting on the ground intensifying."
Twelve men, identified as Ethiopian prisoners of war, were reported taken in Beledweyne. Eight Ethiopian aircraft were reported to have struck Beledweyne and its residential areas, causing protests in the streets. Ethiopian tanks cut the main Kala-Bayrka road, isolating the town.
Abdulahi Mire Areys, commander of forces for the semi-autonomous government of Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
in Bandiradley
Bandiiradley
Banderadley is a town in the Mudug region of Somalia. It lies 70 km southwest of the city of Gaalkacyo, along the main highway that crosses Somalia. The city has a population of approximately 50,000 and has its own airport....
say they were attacked by the ICU, including mortar fire.
ICU commander Mohamud Mohamed Jimale ("Aga-Weyne", "Big Feet") said Ethiopians had attacked Bandiradley and the Saddeh-Higlo region of Mudug.
Ethiopian forces, accompanied by the militia of warlord Abdi Qeybdid and the forces of Puntland occupied the ICU barracks of Bandiradley. (Abdi Qeybdid was the last warlord ousted from Mogadishu in July, 2006.) ICU spokesman Sheik Mohamood Jimale Agoweyne, stated Ethiopian aircraft were basing out of Galkayo airport.
On December 25, ICU officer Sheik Abdiqani Qorane Mohammed claimed Islamist forces killed an unspecified number of Ethiopian troops and downed an Ethiopian helicopter gunship at Bandiradley, while spokesman Sheik Asbdrahman Jiunikow admitted the ICU had retreated from Beledweyne
Beledweyne
Beledweyne is a city in central Somalia. It is the capital of the Hiraan province, and is located in the central valley of the Shebelle river near the Ogaden, some 206 miles north of Mogadishu, the nation's capital. The Shebelle river divides the town into east and west...
, leaving it to advancing Ethiopian forces after a day of battle
Battle of Beledweyne
Battle of Beledweyne may refer to:*Battle of Beledweyne *Battle of Beledweyne *Battle of Beledweyne...
. Fighting was also said to be near Jawil in Hiran.
Fighting had advanced in the north, between Bandiradley in Mudug and Galinsor just inside the border of Adado
Adado
Adado is a town in the central Galguduud region of Somalia. It is situated in the Adado District....
district, Galgadud. Late in the day, Ethiopian troops had advanced from Galinsor and taken Adado, Galgadud, after the ICU abandoned the town following fierce fighting.
In Hiran, Ethiopian forces were reported to have taken both Beledweyne
Beledweyne
Beledweyne is a city in central Somalia. It is the capital of the Hiraan province, and is located in the central valley of the Shebelle river near the Ogaden, some 206 miles north of Mogadishu, the nation's capital. The Shebelle river divides the town into east and west...
and Buuloburde, with unconfirmed reports that "hundreds of Ethiopian tanks" were moving along the road towards Jowhar
Jowhar
Jowhar is the capital town of the Shabeellaha Dhexe region of Somalia . Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of the Transitional Federal Government, which captured it from the Islamic Courts Union....
. This presents a threat of a major flanking of ICU positions in Tiyoglow and Burhakaba
Buurhakaba
-Overview:Burhakaba is the largest town in the region, with a reported population of 28,000 people. The town is named after a large hill that surrounds it.-References:*...
by striking towards the Shabeellaha Dhexe
Shabeellaha Dhexe
-Overview:It is bordered by the Somali regions of Galgudud, Hiran, Lower Shebelle, and Banadir, as well as the Indian Ocean.As part of the former Benadir region, Shabeellaha Dhexe's capital was Mogadishu up until the mid-1980s, when the town of Jowhar became the capital...
area. The Ethiopian forces were accompanied by Somali warlord Mohamed Omar Habeb 'Mohamed Dhere,' who wished to reestablish his control over Jowhar. The returning ex-Governor of Hiran, Yusuf Dagabed, proclaimed that the town of Beledweyne was liberated and it was again legal to chew khat
Khat
Khat, qat, gat or Waquish Spoken from true Yemeni, is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula....
.
The loss of Adado
Adado
Adado is a town in the central Galguduud region of Somalia. It is situated in the Adado District....
meant that it became the third to fall to the advancing Ethiopian forces, after Bandiradley
Battle of Bandiradley
The Battle of Bandiradley in Somalia began on December 23, 2006, when Ethiopian and Puntland forces, along with Warlord Abdi Qeybdid fought the forces of the Islamic Courts Union defending Bandiradley...
and Beledweyne
Battle of Beledweyne
Battle of Beledweyne may refer to:*Battle of Beledweyne *Battle of Beledweyne *Battle of Beledweyne...
. This has left the ICU vulnerable, with Jowhar
Jowhar
Jowhar is the capital town of the Shabeellaha Dhexe region of Somalia . Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of the Transitional Federal Government, which captured it from the Islamic Courts Union....
their furthermost stronghold (90 kilometres north-east of Mogadishu) after losing vast amounts of territory as quickly as they had gained several months ago. Unconfirmed reports now say that this is due to a change in strategy by the ICU so as to employ guerilla warfare against the more technologically advanced Ethiopian military
Military of Ethiopia
The Ethiopian National Defense Force is the military of Ethiopia. Civil direction of the military is carried out through the Ministry of Defense, which oversees the ground forces, air force, as well as the Defense Industry Sector. The current defense minister is Siraj Fergessa. . Size of the ENDF...
. The leader of the Council of Islamic Courts executive body appeared to confirm this: "The war is entering a new phase… we will fight Ethiopia for a long, long time and we expect the war to go everyplace." Other Islamic leaders did explicitly threaten guerilla war within Ethiopia, by placing Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
as a target for suicide bombings. In response to this, the Ethiopian-backed TFG announced an amnesty to any ICU fighter who renounced violence by giving up arms. "The government will not take revenge," a government spokesman was reported to have said.
On December 26, it became known that ICU forces completely left Mudug, Galgadud, Hiran, Bay and Bakool provinces, clinging to Shabeellaha Dhexe province. Ethiopian forces were predicted to take this in the coming days. This amounted to a ninety per cent loss of territory of what the ICU once had before the Ethiopian intervention. The Islamic courts claimed that they would adopt the Taliban-style guerilla warfare that has been used in Afghanistan.
Military Actions in Ethiopia
On December 23, the Ogaden National Liberation FrontOgaden National Liberation Front
The Ogaden National Liberation Front , is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden in eastern Ethiopia an independent state...
(ONLF) claimed to have attacked an Ethiopian column near Baraajisale heading to Somalia, destroying 4 of 20 vehicles, inflicting casualties and driving the convoy back.
On January 15, ONLF rebels attacked Ethiopian soldiers in Qabri-Dahar, Garbo, and Fiiq. Five Ethiopian soldiers and one ONLF rebel have been reported killed.
Attacks on Mogadishu and Bali-Dogle Airports
Mig
-Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...
fighter jets fired missiles into the airport twice. One person was killed and a number injured. Further north, Beledweyne
Beledweyne
Beledweyne is a city in central Somalia. It is the capital of the Hiraan province, and is located in the central valley of the Shebelle river near the Ogaden, some 206 miles north of Mogadishu, the nation's capital. The Shebelle river divides the town into east and west...
was also bombed, according to witnesses. The fighting between the Ethiopian-backed TFG and the ICU became stretched to over 400 km (248.5 mi) of land.
Bali-Dogle airport in southern Somalia was also reported struck. This airport lies 115 km northwest of Mogadishu in the district of Wanlaweyne about half-way between the capital and the front lines at Burhakaba.
The TFG declared the borders of Somalia were closed. The Ethiopian attacks on the airports were due to claims the airports had recently been used for "unauthorized flights." This presumably relates to prior flights allegedly carrying Islamist volunteers wishing to fight for the ICU.
December 26, 2006
Islamist spokesman Abdi Kafi said in response to the impending Ethiopian attack on the capital that "It will be their destruction and doomsday" and that "It is a matter of time before we start striking at them from all directions".
"A joint Somali government and Ethiopian force has broken the back of the international terrorist forces… These forces are in full retreat," Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi Asres is the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Since 1985, he has been chairman of the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front , and is currently head of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front .Meles was born in Adwa, Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father from...
told reporters in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, adding that up to 1,000 Islamist fighters had been killed. "A few are Somali but the majority are foreigners," he said of the dead.
Meles said that the Ethiopian army was half-way on its mission in Somalia. Ethiopian Ambassador to Somalia, Abdulkarin Farah took time to list some of the 17 cities Ethiopian and Somali government forces had overrun:
| Around Baidoa: | On the approach to Dhusamareeb: | In Hiran: |
|---|---|---|
| Dinsoor Bur Hakaba Idale Moode Moode |
Bandiradley Galinsor Adado |
Kalabayr Beer Gadiid Ceel Gaal Beledweyn Garasyani Halgan Buuloburde |
Lastly, he said that the Ethiopian and TFG forces were advancing on the airport at Bali-Dogle.
Ethiopian troops were accused by Islamic leader Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed of massacring 50 civilians in the central town of Cadado
Ethiopian forces advancing south towards Jowhar
Jowhar
Jowhar is the capital town of the Shabeellaha Dhexe region of Somalia . Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of the Transitional Federal Government, which captured it from the Islamic Courts Union....
were reported facing off ICU troops in Fidow in Hiran and Bur Weyn (the latter is half-way between Buulo Burde and Jalalaqsi
Jalalaqsi
Jalalaqsi is a town in the central Hiiraan region of Somalia.-Overview:...
). Later Jalalaqsi was reported taken. There, Mohamed Dhere urged for peace as he advanced towards Jowhar. Dhusamareeb was also described as abandoned by the ICU.
December 27, 2006
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
claimed US surveillance aircraft were funnelling information to Ethiopian forces. Maj. Kelley Thibodeau said she was "not at liberty to discuss" the matter. There was also a claim Eritrean forces were arming the ICU with anti-aircraft missiles to defend Mogadishu.
ICU forces, on the run since suffering defeats against advancing Ethiopian and TFG forces, rallied at Jimbale, 140 kilometres (87 mi) north of Mogadishu. This began a brief battle for the strategic ICU stronghold of Jowhar
Jowhar
Jowhar is the capital town of the Shabeellaha Dhexe region of Somalia . Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of the Transitional Federal Government, which captured it from the Islamic Courts Union....
. (See Battle of Jowhar
Battle of Jowhar
The Battle of Jowhar was a battle in the 2006 Somali War fought between the Islamic Courts Union and affiliated militias against Ethiopian and Transitional Federal Government forces for control of the town of Jowhar . It began on December 27, 2006, when retreating ICU forces regrouped near their...
)
After losing this town, the ICU also abandoned Balad
Balad, Somalia
Balad is one of the districts of Middle Shebelle region of Somalia. It is located about 36 kilometers northeast of the capital city of Mogadishu. It has an area of with an estimated population of 480,000. Most of the population is Mataan Abdulle, part of Wabudhan from Abgaal clan of Hawiye...
, just north of Mogadishu.
On the advance from Burhakaba, government forces were met with stiff resistance in Leego, on the approaches to Lower Shabelle. The position of Somalia Muslim brotherhood leaders changed substantially Islah
Islah
Islah is an Arabic word meaning to repair, often translated as to reform or reshape. Also the name of several reform parties.-Related links:*El-Islah*Jamaah Islah Malaysia*Yemeni Congregation for Reform*Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen*Tajdid...
.
Fall of Mogadishu
By the time the capital fell to the TFG and Ethiopian forces, military vehicles contributed by Ethiopia to the conflict included approximately 200 Ethiopian tanks and nearly 500 military vehicles in total, attack helicopters and MiGMig
-Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...
fighter jets. This represented a significant commitment of its total armored forces given the country has an estimated 170 T-55
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
, 50 T-62
T-62
The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank, a further development of the T-55. Its 115 mm gun was the first smoothbore tank gun in use.The T-62 was produced between 1961 and 1975. It became a standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, partly replacing the T-55, although that tank continued to be...
, and 50 T-72
T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
tanks in its army. It was unclear how many of Ethiopia's estimated 25 MiG-21, 12 MiG-23 or 12 Sukhoi-27 aircraft were committed to the conflict.
December 27, 2006
Somalia's envoy to Ethiopia has confirmed that Ethiopian-backed Somali government troops will lay siegeSiege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
to Mogadishu until it surrenders. "We are not going to fight for Mogadishu to avoid civilian casualties… Our troops will surround Mogadishu until they surrender," he told reporters in Addis Ababa.
ICU troops abandoned their barracks in the town of Balcad
Balad, Somalia
Balad is one of the districts of Middle Shebelle region of Somalia. It is located about 36 kilometers northeast of the capital city of Mogadishu. It has an area of with an estimated population of 480,000. Most of the population is Mataan Abdulle, part of Wabudhan from Abgaal clan of Hawiye...
, the last town before the outskirts of Mogadishu. Ethiopian and Somali government forces, accompanied by patrolling Ethiopian jets, approached within 30 km of the city.
The hope was to take the city with minimal violence. TFG spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said, "Islamic courts militias are already on the run and we hope that Mogadishu will fall to our hands without firing a shot."
Clan leaders in Mogadishu considered whether to back the government troops advancing on the capital. This would preempt a possible lengthy and bloody fight for the capital and deal a devastating blow to the Islamic Courts. Islamic fighters were seen changing out of their uniforms and into civilian clothing while women were spotted on the streets selling the narcotic khat which was banned by the Islamists.
Areas in the north of Mogadishu were reported to be taken over by clan militias who rapidly switched allegiances and reversed the policies of the ICU, allowing khat
Khat
Khat, qat, gat or Waquish Spoken from true Yemeni, is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula....
to be sold openly, and for cinemas to reopen. Some ICU fighters are said to have fled towards the port city of Kismayo, their last remaining stronghold, 300 miles (482.8 km) to the south. Remaining ICU troops were reported shaving their beards
or in hiding and there was speculation in the capital that Kismayo
Kismayu
Kismayo or Kismayu is a port city in the Jubbada Hoose province of Somalia. It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region....
would fall soon.
Islamists turned over their weapons to local clan leaders and militias in the capital. Islamists in the Karan neighborhood of Mogadishu handed over their weapons to Abukar Bolow, a subordinate of a former Mogadishu warlord who welcomed TFG forces, while in the neighborhoods of Boondheere and Siinay, ICU fighters handed over their weapons to local clan militias, who placed posters of Abdullahi Yusuf
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
and Ali Ghedi
Ali Mohammed Ghedi
Ali Mohamed Ghedi was the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia from 2004 to 2007. He was relatively unknown in political circles upon his appointment as prime minister in November 2004. He is affiliated with the Abgaal subclan of Mogadishu's Hawiye clan, one of...
on their battlewagon
Technical (fighting vehicle)
A technical is a type of improvised fighting vehicle, typically a civilian or military non-combat vehicle, modified to provide an offensive capability similar to a military gun truck...
s. Furthermore, the Hawiye
Hawiye
The Hawiye is a Somali clan. Members of the clan primarily live in central and southern Somalia, in the Ogaden and the North Eastern Province , and in smaller numbers in other countries. Like many Somalis, Hawiye members trace their ancestry to Irir Samaale...
, Somalia's largest clan, began discussing a peaceful resolution with the interim government. According to several eyewitnesses on the scene, the stability created by the Islamic militias has also begun to collapse with people returning to their homes and bandits once again roaming the streets.
The top leaders of the ICU, including Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Hassan Dahir Aweys
Hassan Aweys
Hassan Dahir Aweys is a Somali political figure who was added to the U.S. government's list of terrorists in 2001. Aweys was the head of the 90-member shura council of the Islamic Courts Union of Somalia and was viewed as one of the more radical leaders of the Union, which promoted shari'a and...
, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
Sharif Ahmed
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is the current President of Somalia and former Commander in Chief of the Islamic Courts Union .-Biography:...
and Sheikh Abdirahman Janaqow
Abdirahman Janaqow
Abdirahman Mahmud Farah Janaqow is a Somali leader, and he was deputy chairman, and a member of the Murusade clan. of the Islamic Courts Union of Somalia . He and other leaders signed a capitulation of Mogadishu on 27 December 2006 after military losses. However they continued military resistance...
, resigned in anticipation of the siege in order to prevent more bloodshed. Their official press release called upon ICU fighters to secure the areas in which they were stationed and expressed their regret that foreign powers had invaded the country and that Somalia would return to chaos, losing the "significant acts" that they claim to have brought to Somalians. They issued the following decisions:
December 28, 2006
Ali Mohammed Ghedi
Ali Mohamed Ghedi was the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia from 2004 to 2007. He was relatively unknown in political circles upon his appointment as prime minister in November 2004. He is affiliated with the Abgaal subclan of Mogadishu's Hawiye clan, one of...
, the Prime Minister of the transitional government, stated that Somali government troops had entered Mogadishu without resistance, as well as the town of Afgoye on its outskirts. Mohamed Jama Furuh, a member of parliament and former warlord, took control of Mogadishu's seaport on the government's behalf, an area he had controlled before the rise of the ICU as a warlord. The President, Abdullahi Yusuf, asserted that TFG troops were not a threat to the city-dwellers, though there were some reports of gunfire in the city.
Meles Zenawi declared Ethiopia's mission in Somalia 75% completed with the occupation of Mogadishu by the government, with the only uncompleted task being the capturing of foreign fighters and defeat of remaining "extremists." As the army martialled at Afgoye, outside of Mogadishu, over 500 vehicles could be seen assembled, including over 200 Ethiopian tanks. Only 35 of the vehicles belonged to the TFG.
December 29, 2006
Second Battle of Mogadishu
The Second Battle of Mogadishu was a battle fought for control of Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia. The opposing forces were the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism , and militia loyal to the Islamic Court Union . The conflict began in mid-February, 2006, when Somali...
. Gedi's decree for disarmament also applied to non-government troops in the autonomous state of Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
, where it was seen as questionably enforceable.
December 30, 2006
December 31, 2006
Assistant Trade Minister for the TFG, Abdifitah Ibrahim Rashid, accused men loyal to Defense Minister Col. Barre Hiiraale
Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale
Barre Adan Shire , also known as Barre Hiiraale, Barre "Hirale" Aden Shire, or Abdikadir Adan Shire, is a former Minister of Defense of the Somali Transitional Federal Government . He was previously the TFG Minister for National Reconstruction and Resettlement...
of killing ten civilians and kidnapping ten others near Dinsor, Bay region. The incident came after a man was caught driving a pickup truck loaded with ammunition and explosives. The truck had belonged to the Juba Valley Alliance
Juba Valley Alliance
The Juba Valley Alliance is a political faction of the Somali Civil War. It was the primary opponent of the Somali Patriotic Movement and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council vying for the control of Kismayo and the Juba River valley, the area known as Jubaland.Following the...
before it was seized in fighting at Bu'aale
Bu'aale
Bu'ale is a town in the Jubbada Dhexe region of Somalia. It is the capital of the Bu'aale District, situated in the southern Jubba River valley.-References:*...
by the ICU earlier in the year.
In an effort to head off additional bloodshed, Yusuf Ahmed Hagar "Dabageed," returning governor of Hiran, called for an end of three days of reprisals conducted by men loyal to him and the TFG. He urged an end to the hunting for former members of the Islamist militias offered assurances that those who were now mingled with the rest of the population would not be hurt or killed.
December 27, 2006
On December 27, the ICU abandoned its positions in the Jubba RiverJubba River
The Jubba River is a river in southern Somalia. It begins at the border with Ethiopia, where the Dawa and Ganale Dorya rivers meet, and flows directly south to the Indian Ocean, where it empties at the Goobweyn juncture.-History:...
valley at Salagle and Sakow
Saków
Saków is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Wartkowice, within Poddębice County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Wartkowice, north of Poddębice, and north-west of the regional capital Łódź....
, north of Bu'aale
Bu'aale
Bu'ale is a town in the Jubbada Dhexe region of Somalia. It is the capital of the Bu'aale District, situated in the southern Jubba River valley.-References:*...
. The ICU had been in possession of Salagle for two weeks, taking the town on December 13. Sakow had fallen to the ICU in October after they defeated the Juba Valley Alliance
Juba Valley Alliance
The Juba Valley Alliance is a political faction of the Somali Civil War. It was the primary opponent of the Somali Patriotic Movement and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council vying for the control of Kismayo and the Juba River valley, the area known as Jubaland.Following the...
.
ICU forces in Kismayo
Kismayu
Kismayo or Kismayu is a port city in the Jubbada Hoose province of Somalia. It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region....
were reported retreating towards Mogadishu, and TFG forces were advancing towards Bu'aale from Dinsoor, while the rest of the Jubbada Hoose
Jubbada Hoose
Lower Juba is an administrative region in southern Somalia. With its capital at Kismayo, it lies in the Jubaland autonomous region.Lower Juba is bordered by Kenya, the Somalian regions of Gedo, Middle Juba, and the Indian Ocean...
and Jubbada Dhexe
Jubbada Dhexe
Middle Juba is an administrative region in southern Somalia. With its capital at Bu'aale, it is located in the Jubaland autonomous region.Middle Juba is bordered by Somali regions of Gedo, Bay, Lower Shabele and Jubbada Hoose and the Indian Ocean...
areas were calm.
December 28, 2006
On December 28, Islamist forces continued to withdraw to the south toward Kismayo, and Ahmed Ali Harare, ICU military commander of Southern Somalia, avowed the ICU would not leave Kismayo without a fight. Though the ICU leadership had formally resigned, they did not surrender to government forces. Hassan Dahir Aweys, accompanied by 45 technicals equipped with anti-aircraft guns, arrived in the strategic town of JilibJilib
Jilib is a town in Somalia, with an estimated population of approximately 45,000. It is located on the main road from Mogadishu south to Kismayo and is the most populous town in the Middle Juba Region.The Islamic Courts Union was defeated there in the Battle of Jilib December 2006 January 2007...
, 65 miles (104.6 km) north of Kismayo. A confidential UN situational report stated that Islamists were going door-to-door to recruit fighters as young as 12 in Kismayo, citing families who claim relatives had been taken to Jilib to fight. Only the most hardcore fighters, numbering about 3,000, are still opposing the government according to some former ICU militiamen.
December 29, 2006
On December 29, TFG forces under Defense Minister (and former head of the Juba Valley AllianceJuba Valley Alliance
The Juba Valley Alliance is a political faction of the Somali Civil War. It was the primary opponent of the Somali Patriotic Movement and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council vying for the control of Kismayo and the Juba River valley, the area known as Jubaland.Following the...
) Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale
Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale
Barre Adan Shire , also known as Barre Hiiraale, Barre "Hirale" Aden Shire, or Abdikadir Adan Shire, is a former Minister of Defense of the Somali Transitional Federal Government . He was previously the TFG Minister for National Reconstruction and Resettlement...
entered Bu'aale
Bu'aale
Bu'ale is a town in the Jubbada Dhexe region of Somalia. It is the capital of the Bu'aale District, situated in the southern Jubba River valley.-References:*...
, approximately 150 km north of Kismayo. Ethiopian jets continued to patrol over Jilib, and a column of 15 tanks was reported heading towards Bu'aale and Jilib. The Islamic militia reportedly mined the road to Jilib.
As Islamist leader Sheikh Aweys vowed to fight on, and called for others to create an insurgency against the government, a heavily armed column of government and Ethiopian troops advanced from Mogadishu through Lower Shabelle towards Kismayo. They reached Bulo Marer (Kurtun Warrey district) and were heading to Baravo.
December 31, 2006
On December 31, elders of various clans in Kismayo, afraid of the potential devastation to their city, asked Islamic fighters to leave. The Islamists reportedly refused the request. As a result, gunbattles have been reported between Islamists and local clan militias.Battle of Jilib
On Saturday, December 30, joint Ethiopian/TFG troops had reached the town of Jilib
Jilib
Jilib is a town in Somalia, with an estimated population of approximately 45,000. It is located on the main road from Mogadishu south to Kismayo and is the most populous town in the Middle Juba Region.The Islamic Courts Union was defeated there in the Battle of Jilib December 2006 January 2007...
, the last major town on the road to Kismayo. Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed urged the ICU soldiers to fight on.
On Sunday December 31, fighting began in the thick mango forests near Helashid, 11 miles (17.7 km) to the northwest of Jilib. Ethiopian MiG
Mig
-Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...
fighters, tanks, artillery and mortars struck Islamic positions in the assault. Residents reported the road to Jilib was littered with remote-controlled landmines by the ICU and three bridges leading to the town have been destroyed.
TFG and Ethiopian forces also attacked Bulobaley, raining down fire from mortars and rockets. In Jilib, Islamists used bulldozers to prepare trenches and defensive positions. They had about 3,000 fighters and 60 technicals
Technical (fighting vehicle)
A technical is a type of improvised fighting vehicle, typically a civilian or military non-combat vehicle, modified to provide an offensive capability similar to a military gun truck...
mounted with antiaircraft and antitank guns. Up to 4,700 people fled the area ahead of the fighting.
At approximately 5:00pm, a heavy gun battle erupted on the outskirts of Jilib town between Islamic fighters and the Ethiopian-backed interim government troops. Tanks and armored vehicles were reported committed by Ethiopian forces. The sound of heavy artillery fires could be heard in Jamame town near Jilib, local residents said.
During the night, artillery strikes continued, eventually forcing the ICU frontlines to falter. A mutiny within the ICU caused their forces to disintegrate, and abandon both Jilib and Kismayo. They were reported to be fleeing towards the Kenyan border.
See also
- 2007 timeline of the War in Somalia2007 timeline of the War in SomaliaThe timeline of events in the War in Somalia during 2007 is set out below.-January 1, 2007:On January 1, Islamists abandoned their last stronghold in Kismayo. After their departure, looters took to the streets, but order was restored shortly. The Islamists are reportedly retreating toward the...
- 2008 timeline of the War in Somalia2008 timeline of the War in SomaliaThis sets forth a timeline of the War in Somalia during 2008.5 February* Bosaso bombings. 25 Ethiopian civilians killed2 March* Missile attack on Dobley. 6 Somali civilians killed19–20 April...
- 2009 timeline of the War in Somalia2009 timeline of the War in SomaliaThe timeline of events in the War in Somalia during January 2009 is set out below. From the beginning of February the timeline of events in the War in Somalia is set out following the conclusion of the previous phase of the civil war.- Casualties :-January 1, 2009:*9 civilians killed, 1 TFG...
- War in Somalia (2006–2009)
- War in Somalia (2009–)War in Somalia (2009–)The 2009–present phase of the Somali Civil War is concentrated in southern Somalia. It began in early February 2009, with the conflict between, on the one hand, the forces of the Somali Transitional Federal Government assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops, and on the other, various militant...