Battle of Beledweyne (2006)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Beledweyne
occurred on December 24 to December 25, 2006 when Ethiopia
n troops seized that Somalia
n town from Islamic Courts Union fighters, according to some news agencies. Beledweyne is 100 km north of Baidoa
, the seat of Transitional Federal Government of Somalia
.
, Beledweyne had seen its share of fighting. In June 2005, fighting between the Galje'el and Jajele subclans in the western end of town lasted for four days, resulting in 30 dead, 70 wounded and hundreds more displaced. This left the town on an uneasy footing.
On June 30, 2006, the ICU held demonstrations in Beledweyne in which protesters held signs reading, "We Don't Want Ethiopia to Enter Somalia."
On August 1, 2006, the ICU sent technicals
out towards the Ethiopian border north of Beledweyne. Ethiopian troops were reportedly sent across the border to stop the ICU's advance.
Between August 9 and August 16, ICU militia under the command of Yusuf Makaraan occupied the town. After resisting for a few days, by August 13 the deposed governor, Yusuf Ahmed Hagar (also known as Yusuf Mohamud Hagar and "Daba-Ged"), fled to Ethiopia to regroup his forces. By August 16, the ICU declared control of the town after a final brief exchange of gunfire.
In late August, 2006, Sheik Farah Moalim established an Islamic court in the town. In an interview with the Associated Press
he declared, "The world better learn who we are... This is just the beginning stage."
In September the ICU arrested journalist Osman Adan Areys of Radio Simba for two days for airing a report about the strict new rules and a curfew imposed on the town.
On October 13, Sheikh Abdullahi Gurre, spokesman for the ICU, declared Ethiopian troops had crossed the border and were within 25 km of Beledweyne.
Somalia was devastated by massive floods that hit the country late in 2006. The storms of November 10–11 resulted in the displacement of 60,000 persons in the Beledweyne area. On Sunday, November 26, 200 women protested they had not been getting enough help to deal with the humanitarian crisis.
On December 8, protests here held in Beledweyne to oppose the new UN Resolutions for an IGAD-led peacekeeping mission, dubbed IGASOM
.
Yusuf Daba-Ged, the returning Somali governor of Hiran, said, "We have taken control of Baladweyne and our forces are chasing the terrorists. We have killed more than 60 Islamists, wounded others and captured some as prisoners of war." Following their defeat in Baladweyne, leaders of the Islamic courts called on the Ethiopian troops to withdraw.
The ICU allegedly retreated also from the town of Bulo-Barde.
Unconfirmed reports that "hundreds of Ethiopian tanks" were moving along the road towards Jowhar
. This presented a major flanking of ICU positions in Tiyoglow and Buurhakaba
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.
. A truck filled with khat arriving the next day, on December 26, was met with a burst of cheers.
On December 31, 2006, 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.
On January 1, 2007, Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
declared a new administrator for Hiiran region, replacing Dabageed. Hussein Mohamud Moalim was named as new administrator, and Saleyman Ahmed Hilawle was nominated as assistant administrator.
On January 5, 2007, Sheikh Farah Moallim Mohamud became the highest-ranking member of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) to be captured by the Ethiopian-Somalian forces. He was apprehended near Beledweyne then later released because of the general amnesty offered to Islamists who surrendered to the government. Clashes broke out between Somali protesters and Ethiopian soldiers after a TFG military officer, Col. Muktar Hussein Afrah
, was arrested for refusing to hand over the Sheikh to Ethiopian forces. Three people were reportedly injured. He was released on January 10.
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...
occurred on December 24 to December 25, 2006 when Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n troops seized that Somalia
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...
n town from Islamic Courts Union fighters, according to some news agencies. Beledweyne is 100 km north of Baidoa
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....
, the seat of Transitional Federal Government of Somalia
Politics of Somalia
The politics of Somalia are defined by the state of civil war which, since 1991, has divided the country. What started out as various warring entities and autonomist and secessionist regions fighting for control developed into a fragile government fighting an Islamic insurgency. In 1991, Mohammed...
.
Prelude to the battle
Even before the 2006 events in the Somali Civil WarSomali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
, Beledweyne had seen its share of fighting. In June 2005, fighting between the Galje'el and Jajele subclans in the western end of town lasted for four days, resulting in 30 dead, 70 wounded and hundreds more displaced. This left the town on an uneasy footing.
On June 30, 2006, the ICU held demonstrations in Beledweyne in which protesters held signs reading, "We Don't Want Ethiopia to Enter Somalia."
On August 1, 2006, the ICU sent 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...
out towards the Ethiopian border north of Beledweyne. Ethiopian troops were reportedly sent across the border to stop the ICU's advance.
Between August 9 and August 16, ICU militia under the command of Yusuf Makaraan occupied the town. After resisting for a few days, by August 13 the deposed governor, Yusuf Ahmed Hagar (also known as Yusuf Mohamud Hagar and "Daba-Ged"), fled to Ethiopia to regroup his forces. By August 16, the ICU declared control of the town after a final brief exchange of gunfire.
In late August, 2006, Sheik Farah Moalim established an Islamic court in the town. In an interview with the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
he declared, "The world better learn who we are... This is just the beginning stage."
In September the ICU arrested journalist Osman Adan Areys of Radio Simba for two days for airing a report about the strict new rules and a curfew imposed on the town.
On October 13, Sheikh Abdullahi Gurre, spokesman for the ICU, declared Ethiopian troops had crossed the border and were within 25 km of Beledweyne.
Somalia was devastated by massive floods that hit the country late in 2006. The storms of November 10–11 resulted in the displacement of 60,000 persons in the Beledweyne area. On Sunday, November 26, 200 women protested they had not been getting enough help to deal with the humanitarian crisis.
On December 8, protests here held in Beledweyne to oppose the new UN Resolutions for an IGAD-led peacekeeping mission, dubbed IGASOM
IGASOM
The African Union Mission in Somalia is an active, regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations in Somalia...
.
Course of the battle
Residents said that Ethiopian troops took control of Baladwayne town on December 25 after a day of bombing to uproot the Islamists.Yusuf Daba-Ged, the returning Somali governor of Hiran, said, "We have taken control of Baladweyne and our forces are chasing the terrorists. We have killed more than 60 Islamists, wounded others and captured some as prisoners of war." Following their defeat in Baladweyne, leaders of the Islamic courts called on the Ethiopian troops to withdraw.
The ICU allegedly retreated also from the town of Bulo-Barde.
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 presented a major flanking of ICU positions in Tiyoglow and Buurhakaba
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.
Aftermath
After the battle, Yusuf Daba-Ged proclaimed the town of Bedelweyn was liberated and it was again legal to chew khatKhat
Khat, qat, gat or Waquish Spoken from true Yemeni, is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula....
. A truck filled with khat arriving the next day, on December 26, was met with a burst of cheers.
On December 31, 2006, 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.
On January 1, 2007, Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
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...
declared a new administrator for Hiiran region, replacing Dabageed. Hussein Mohamud Moalim was named as new administrator, and Saleyman Ahmed Hilawle was nominated as assistant administrator.
On January 5, 2007, Sheikh Farah Moallim Mohamud became the highest-ranking member of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) to be captured by the Ethiopian-Somalian forces. He was apprehended near Beledweyne then later released because of the general amnesty offered to Islamists who surrendered to the government. Clashes broke out between Somali protesters and Ethiopian soldiers after a TFG military officer, Col. Muktar Hussein Afrah
Muktar Hussein Afrah
Colonel Muktar Hussein Afrah is an officer in the army of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.He was commander of forces in Beledweyne after the Battle of Beledweyne...
, was arrested for refusing to hand over the Sheikh to Ethiopian forces. Three people were reportedly injured. He was released on January 10.