Battle of Jowhar | |||||||
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Part of the War in Somalia (2006–2009) | |||||||
A Transitional Federal Government soldier stands on a technical with an anti aircraft gun after arriving in Jowhar | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Transitional Federal Government Ethiopia [1] [2] | Islamic Courts Union Pro-Islamist Militias Foreign Mujahideen |
The Battle of Jowhar took place during the 2006 Somali War between the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and affiliated militias against Ethiopian and Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces for control of the town of Jowhar (located at 2°46′48″N45°30′08″E / 2.78000°N 45.50222°E ). It began on December 27, 2006, when retreating ICU forces regrouped near their stronghold of Jowhar. [3] It became the last major town and strategic stronghold of the ICU to fall to Ethiopian and TFG forces before the latter overtook Mogadishu two days later. [3]
After failing to contain the TFG/Ethiopian push in the Battle of Baidoa, the ICU had gone into what it called a "tactical retreat", pulling from the front lines towards Mogadishu. Jowhar, a major city which had been taken from the ARPCT in June, had become a stronghold of the ICU and was where many had retreated to. Hundreds of civilian refugees fled Jowhar in anticipation of the fighting, adding to humanitarian concerns created by floods, hunger and disease. [3] [4]
Reports from Jowhar said that fighting began on December 27 in the town of Jimbale. [3] Islamist fighters used irrigation canals as fortifications in defending the town in a bid to halt a general retreat. It was reported to be taken by Ethiopian/TFG forces in a dawn attack, using artillery, mortars and heavy machine guns. Former warlord and past ruler of Jowhar, Mohammed Dheere, led the assault. [5]
At 10:00am, ICU forces were reported pulling out of town. [6] At 10:30am, witnesses reported seeing heavily armed Ethiopian troops with tanks entering the former ICU stronghold. Casualties are unknown at this time. [7] Some reports say that ICU soldiers left without putting up a fight. According to one witness, ICU troops later retreated from the town before Ethiopian troops could advance. [5]
However, fighting could still be heard at a military camp south of Jowhar. [5]
The loss of Jowhar led the ICU to retreat further to Balad in middle Shabelle province, a town 30 kilometres away from Mogadishu. This created chaos in the town, according to some sources, including looting. [7]
Returning warlord Dheere, purportedly wearing an "I Love Jowhar" T-shirt [8] told the crowd gathered after the battle, "We will attack Mogadishu tomorrow, from two directions." Dheere was referring to the advance taking place on the main road between Baidoa and Mogadishu, where sounds of battle could still be heard at the village of Leego. Fighting was also reported at a military camp south of Jowhar.
After the battle in Jowhar, thousands of Ethiopian and government-allied Somali troops, accompanied by tanks, continued south towards Balad, the next major town on the road to the capital (30 km, 18 miles north of Mogadishu). They were reported passing through Qalimow village (40 km, 25 miles north of Balad) by a local resident. [9] Later in the day, they were reported to be occupying Balad, where the column halted any advancements to avoid causing civilian casualties in Mogadishu. [10]
Jowhar is the capital city of Hirshabelle state of Somalia. Jowhar is also the administrative capital of Middle Shabelle region of Somalia.
Baidoa is the largest city of the South West State of Somalia.
Ali Mohammed Gedi, popularly known as Ali Gedi, is a Somali politician who was the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) 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 Somalia's four most powerful clan 'families'. He narrowly survived a suicide attack on his home that left at least seven people dead on June 3, 2007.
The Somali Warlord Alliance, officially called the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism, was a Somali alliance created by various Somali warlords and businessmen with the backing of the American Central Intelligence Agency in order to challenge the emerging influence of the Islamic Courts Union during the Somali Civil War.
Muse Sudi Yalahow born Mogadishu was a Trade Minister in the Transitional Government of Ali Mohammed Ghedi. He was dismissed in June 2006 after ignoring government requests to halt fighting with the Islamic Courts Union militia.
The Second Battle of Mogadishu was fought for control of Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu. The opposing forces were the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT), and militia loyal to the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The conflict began in mid-February 2006, when Somali warlords formed the ARPCT to challenge the ICU's emerging influence. The ICU's influence was largely generated by wealthy financial donors who sought to enable the Islamic Courts Union to seize power in the country to bring stability. The battle is referred to as the Second Battle to distinguish it amongst the nine major Battles of Mogadishu during the decades-long Somali Civil War.
The Islamic Courts Union was a legal and political organization founded by Mogadishu-based Sharia courts during the early 2000s to combat the lawlessness stemming from the Somali Civil War. By mid-to-late 2006, the Islamic Courts had expanded their influence to become the de facto government in most of southern and central Somalia, succeeding in creating the first semblance of a state since 1991.
The Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, also known as the Ethiopian occupation of Somalia or the Ethiopian intervention in the Somali Civil War, was an armed conflict that lasted from late 2006 to early 2009. It began when military forces from Ethiopia, supported by the United States, invaded Somalia to depose the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and install the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The conflict continued after the invasion when an anti-Ethiopian insurgency emerged and rapidly escalated. During 2007 and 2008, the insurgency recaptured the majority of territory lost by the ICU.
The 2006 Islamic Courts Union offensive is the period in the Somali Civil War that began in May 2006 with the Islamic Courts Union's (ICU) conquest of Mogadishu from the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT) and continued with further ICU expansion in the country. Following the outbreak of the war on December 21, 2006; by December 24, direct Ethiopian intervention in the conflict in support of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was no longer denied by the Ethiopian government. The Eritrean government denied any involvement despite Ethiopian claims to the contrary.
The Battle of Baidoa began on 20 December 2006 when the Somali transitional federal government forces (TFG) allied with Ethiopian forces stationed there attacked advancing Islamic Courts Union (ICU) forces along with 500 alleged Eritrean troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.
The Battle of Beledweyne occurred on December 24 to December 25, 2006, when Ethiopian troops seized that Somalian 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.
The fall of Mogadishu occurred on 28 December 2006, when the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) advanced into the capital to install the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which had controlled the capital since June 2006, withdrew from the city after a week of fighting ENDF/TFG forces in southern and central Somalia.
Mohamed Qanyare Afrah (Somali: Maxamed Qanyare Afrax, Arabic: محمد افراح قنياري} was a Somali faction leader and politician who was based south of Mogadishu in the Daynile District. He came in third position in Somalia's first election as a federal country on 10 October 2004 and was subsequently appointed minister of public security in the government of Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi, He served as minister of security in 2006 but was dismissed after ignoring calls by the Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi to stop fighting forces of the Islamist Courts. He continued to participate actively in Somali political affairs being reelected to the first post transitional federal parliament of Somalia as a member of parliament, he resigned from his seat representing his clan in the summer of 2013, his seat in the Federal Parliament of Somalia was taken over by his son Cabdiweli Mohamed Qanyare.
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Mohamed Omar Habeb, commonly known as Mohamed Dheere or Mohamed Dhere, was a Somali faction leader based out of the city of Jowhar. He hailed from the Abgaal subclan of Hawiye. He also had significant influence on the northern parts of the capital Mogadishu where he controlled a militia of around 400 men.
The timeline of events in the War in Somalia during 2006 is set out below.
The timeline of events in the War in Somalia during 2007 is set out below.
The 2009 timeline of events in the Somalia War (2006–2009) during January 2009 is set out below. From the beginning of February the timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present) is set out following the conclusion of the previous phase of the civil war.
A series of battles in Hiraan, Shabeellaha Dhexe and Galgudug, between rebels of al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam and Somali government forces and ICU militants loyal to the government, erupted during spring 2009. The fighting led to al-Shabaab capturing major government strongholds and Ethiopian forces re-entering Somalia and setting up bases in Hiraan. There was a halt in fighting during a government offensive in Mogadishu, which started on May 22.
This is a 2012 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).