Southwestern Somalia
Encyclopedia
Southwestern Somalia was an ostensibly autonomous self-proclaimed state in Somalia
founded by Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud
, leader of the Rahanweyn Resistance Army
(RRA) on April 1, 2002. The state was officially the Southwestern State of Somalia (SWS) (Somali: Dowlad Goboleedka Koonfur-Galbeed ee Soomaaliya) and intended to consist of six Somali administrative regions (gobolka
); These are the Bay
, Bakool
, Middle Juba (Jubada Dhexe), Lower Shabelle (Shabeelada Hoose), Gedo
, and Lower Juba (Jubada Hoose) regions where the majority of the residents of Rahanweyn Digil-Mirifle and May-May Somali speakers. The organization of the autonomous state was a move to show the disaffection of the RRA with the nascent Mogadishu-based Transitional National Government
(TNG) and an act to counter the influence of the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council
(SRRC) in the same regions.
was controlled by Sheikh
Aden Madobe and Muhammad Ibrahim Habsade
. Shatigudud and Madobe reconciled on September 23, 2003, but the rivalry with Habsade continued. All three, including Habsade, were appointed Members of Parliament in the Transitional Federal Parliament
(TFP) in November 2004. In January 2005, the traditional Rahanweyn Clan
elders and civic society leaders again helped reconcile Shatigadud, Madobe, and Habsade. At that time, both Shatigadud and Madobe also became ministers in the Transitional Federal Government
(TFG) of Prime Minister
Ali Muhammad Ghedi.
However, in May 2005, Mohamed Ibrahim Habsade accused Madobe and Shatigudud of attacking Baidoa to take the city on behalf of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
, who later used the city to establish a new interim capital within the country. In May 2005 alone, 19 were killed and 28 wounded in the fight over the city.
All three were in Baidoa on February 10, 2006 helping host the Transitional Federal Parliament
(TFP) of Somalia hold its first Parliamentary session in Somalia (before this date, Parliament met in Kenya
due to security problems in Somalia). The Transitional Federal Government based itself out of Baidoa and held little direct authority over any territory. Territorial administration often remained in the hands of the specific warlords, in this case Shatigadud, Madobe, and Habsade.
Shatigadud remains the popular leader of the Rahanweyn and, since his return, he has been named as the Chairman of the Council of the Rahanweyn court with both Madobe and Habsade being members. Habsade is allowed to be the local chief.
forces, who controlled the Baidoa
, and Qansax Dheere districts, and the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), who controlled Diinsoor and Buur Hakaba (despite being captured twice by government forces for brief periods). The forces of the TFG and Southwestern Somalia, backed by Ethiopia
n troops, were victorious at the Battle of Baidoa
.
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...
founded by Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud
Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud
Colonel Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud is a Somali faction leader, and chairman of the Rahanweyn Resistance Army , which sought to establish the autonomous state of Southwestern Somalia. Recently, he is said to have played a role in the capture of Mogadishu by Ethiopian and Transitional Federal...
, leader of the Rahanweyn Resistance Army
Rahanweyn Resistance Army
The Rahanweyn Resistance Army , also known as the Reewin Resistance Army, is an autonomist militant group operating in the two southwestern regions of Somalia, Bay and Bakool. It was the first Reewin armed faction to emerge during the Somali civil war...
(RRA) on April 1, 2002. The state was officially the Southwestern State of Somalia (SWS) (Somali: Dowlad Goboleedka Koonfur-Galbeed ee Soomaaliya) and intended to consist of six Somali administrative regions (gobolka
Regions of Somalia
Somalia is officially divided into eighteen administrative regions , which in turn are subdivided into districts. On a de facto basis, northern Somalia is now divided up among the autonomous states of Puntland and Somaliland...
); These are the Bay
Bay, Somalia
Bay is an administrative region in southern Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by the Somalian regions of Bakool, Lower Shabele, Middle Juba and Gedo....
, Bakool
Bakool
-Overiew:It is bordered by the Ogaden and the Somalian regions of Hiiraan, Bay and Gedo.Bakool, like Gedo and Bay, as well as most parts of the Jubbada Dhexe region, used to be a part of the old Upper Region, which was subdivided in the mid 1980s...
, Middle Juba (Jubada Dhexe), Lower Shabelle (Shabeelada Hoose), Gedo
Gedo
Gedo is an administrative region , formerly part of the historic Upper Juba Region in southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. Gedo is a region created in 1980s and is bordered by the Ogaden in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and the Somali regions of Bakool, Bay,...
, and Lower Juba (Jubada Hoose) regions where the majority of the residents of Rahanweyn Digil-Mirifle and May-May Somali speakers. The organization of the autonomous state was a move to show the disaffection of the RRA with the nascent Mogadishu-based Transitional National Government
Transitional National Government
The Transitional National Government of Somalia was established in April–May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference held in Djibouti....
(TNG) and an act to counter the influence of the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council
Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council
The Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council was a political movement, as well as an armed militia, founded by Hussein Mohamed Farrah Aidid, son of the late warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid...
(SRRC) in the same regions.
Rivalry and reconciliation within the RRA
After 3 October 2002 (except for a brief period on 14 December–16 December 2002), the regional capital BaidoaBaidoa
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....
was controlled by 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"...
Aden Madobe and Muhammad Ibrahim Habsade
Muhammad Ibrahim Habsade
Muhammad Ibrahim Habsade is former rebel soldier of the Rahanweyn Resistance Army, former Minister of Land and Air Transport, and current Minister of Agriculture in the Somali Transitional Federal Government....
. Shatigudud and Madobe reconciled on September 23, 2003, but the rivalry with Habsade continued. All three, including Habsade, were appointed Members of Parliament in the Transitional Federal Parliament
Transitional Federal Parliament
The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic is an interim Parliament of Somalia formed in neighboring Kenya in 2004.The Transitional Federal Parliament has 550 members representing Somalia's clans, Islamist opposition, representatives of citizens' groups and the Somali...
(TFP) in November 2004. In January 2005, the traditional Rahanweyn Clan
Rahanweyn
The Rahanweyn is a Somali clan, composed of two major sub-clans, the Digil and the Mirifle. It makes up about 17% of the population of Somalia, and is one of the five major Somali clans residing in the Horn of Africa.-Overview:The Digil sub-clan mainly consists of farmers and coastal people, while...
elders and civic society leaders again helped reconcile Shatigadud, Madobe, and Habsade. At that time, both Shatigadud and Madobe also became ministers in the Transitional Federal Government
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...
(TFG) of Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Ali Muhammad Ghedi.
However, in May 2005, Mohamed Ibrahim Habsade accused Madobe and Shatigudud of attacking Baidoa to take the city on behalf of 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...
, who later used the city to establish a new interim capital within the country. In May 2005 alone, 19 were killed and 28 wounded in the fight over the city.
All three were in Baidoa on February 10, 2006 helping host the Transitional Federal Parliament
Transitional Federal Parliament
The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic is an interim Parliament of Somalia formed in neighboring Kenya in 2004.The Transitional Federal Parliament has 550 members representing Somalia's clans, Islamist opposition, representatives of citizens' groups and the Somali...
(TFP) of Somalia hold its first Parliamentary session in Somalia (before this date, Parliament met in 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...
due to security problems in Somalia). The Transitional Federal Government based itself out of Baidoa and held little direct authority over any territory. Territorial administration often remained in the hands of the specific warlords, in this case Shatigadud, Madobe, and Habsade.
Shatigadud remains the popular leader of the Rahanweyn and, since his return, he has been named as the Chairman of the Council of the Rahanweyn court with both Madobe and Habsade being members. Habsade is allowed to be the local chief.
Conflict with the Islamic Courts Union
During the War in Somalia (2006–2009), the Bay region was heavily contested between Southwestern Somalian and Transitional Federal GovernmentTransitional 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, who controlled the 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....
, and Qansax Dheere districts, and the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), who controlled Diinsoor and Buur Hakaba (despite being captured twice by government forces for brief periods). The forces of the TFG and Southwestern Somalia, backed by 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, were victorious at 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...
.