Afmadow
Encyclopedia
Afmadow is a city in southern Somalia
, located in the middle of the Juba
region and bordered by Kenya
, Badhadhe, Kismayo, Jamame, Jilib
, Hagar
, Bardhere and Elwaq in Somalia, 620 km south of the capital Mogadishu
. It is home to a wide variety of wild animals, including the Big Five game
. The vegetation
in Afmadow consists of rich grassland
, bounded by semi-desert. Afmadow is mainly inhabited by the ogaden clan
.
..
On 21 November 2009, the Islamist Al-Shabab
militia took control of Afmadow, causing hundreds of families and also western aid workers to flee in fear of violence, after another Islamist group, Hizbul Islam, left a day earlier, allowing Al-Shabab to move in without much resistance.
Tension had been building between both militia since the former allies fell out in October in Kismayo, leading to fighting and Al-Shabab taking Kismayo in October 2009.
On 18 October 2011, eyewitnesses reported that Kenyan jets were conducting low flight manoeuvres over the city and al-Shabab was preparing entrenchment systems to defend against an expected attack by Kenyan forces in a coordinated incursion with the Somalian army
.
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, located in the middle of the Juba
Jubaland
Jubaland , also known as Azania or the Juba Valley and formerly as Trans-Juba , is an autonomous region in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in...
region and bordered by 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...
, Badhadhe, Kismayo, Jamame, 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...
, Hagar
Hagar
-People:* Hagar , handmaid of Sarah and mother of Abraham's son Ishmael* Hagar Finer, Israeli WIBF bantamweight champion* Albert Hagar, Canadian politician* Mandy Hagar, New Zealand children's author...
, Bardhere and Elwaq in Somalia, 620 km south of the capital Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
. It is home to a wide variety of wild animals, including the Big Five game
Big Five game
The phrase Big Five game was coined by white hunters and refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. The term is still used in most tourist and wildlife guides that discuss African wildlife safaris. The collection consists of the lion, African elephant, cape buffalo,...
. The vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
in Afmadow consists of rich grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, bounded by semi-desert. Afmadow is mainly inhabited by the ogaden clan
Ogaden (clan)
The Ogaden is a Somali clan, and one of the largest Darod subclans.-Overview:Members of the Ogaden clan primarily live in the central Ogaden plateau of Ethiopia , the North Eastern Province of Kenya, and the Jubaland region of Southern Somalia...
.
History
The town was captured in 2006 by the Islamic Court Union as were the other districts in the region during the civil warWar in Somalia (2006–present)
The War in Somalia was an armed conflict involving largely Ethiopian and Somali Transitional Federal Government forces and Somali troops from Puntland versus the Somali Islamist umbrella group, the Islamic Court Union , and other affiliated militias for control of the country. There is a clear...
..
On 21 November 2009, the Islamist Al-Shabab
Al-Shabab
Al-Shabab is a Saudi Arabian professional football club based in Riyadh. It was founded in 1947, and was named at first Shabab AlRiyadh, but later in 1967 was named Al Shabab. Al Shabab is well known in Saudi Arabia as one of the best in football...
militia took control of Afmadow, causing hundreds of families and also western aid workers to flee in fear of violence, after another Islamist group, Hizbul Islam, left a day earlier, allowing Al-Shabab to move in without much resistance.
Tension had been building between both militia since the former allies fell out in October in Kismayo, leading to fighting and Al-Shabab taking Kismayo in October 2009.
On 18 October 2011, eyewitnesses reported that Kenyan jets were conducting low flight manoeuvres over the city and al-Shabab was preparing entrenchment systems to defend against an expected attack by Kenyan forces in a coordinated incursion with the Somalian army
Military of Somalia
The Military of Somalia was, up until 1991, made up of the army, navy, air force, and air defense command. The outbreak of the Somali Civil War during that year led to the de facto dissolution of the national armed forces. However, efforts to re-establish a regular armed force by a re-constituted...
.