| Division 43 | |
|---|---|
| Qeybta 43aad | |
 Flag of the Somali National Army | |
| Active | 2014-present |
| Country | Somalia |
| Branch | Somali National Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| HQ | Kismayo, Somalia |
| Engagements | Battle of Baar-Sanguuni |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Gen. Ali Mohamed Mohamud (Bogmadow) |
Division 43, Somali National Army (Somali: Qeybta 43aad) is a division of the Somali National Army. Focused on the southern part of the country, it is headquartered in Kismayo and covers the state of Jubaland.
The division has two major subordinate formations, the 10th Brigade (Somali: Guutada 10aad), focused on the Gedo region and Middle Juba and headquartered in Garbahaarey, and the 11th Brigade, focused on Lower Juba and headquartered in Kismayo. [1] [2]
In 2018, the 11th Brigade led an offensive north to the village of Baar-Sanguuni, leading to the capture of the village and the deaths of 7 militants. [3]
In November 2021, a joint offensive in the Gedo region by the 10th Brigade led to the capture of Barwaqo and Kabis from al-Shabaab. [4]
In January 2022, Al-Shabaab militants attacked a base of the 11th Brigade in Baar-Sanguuni, which was repelled.
In March 2022, the 11th Brigade, alongside the Jubaland Darawiish conducted an operation against al-Shabaab near the village of Jamame, killing 10 militants and arresting 6 others. [5]
The division is commanded by General Aaden Kaalmooy. [6]
Following the establishment of the Interim Juba Administration and the election of Ahmed Madobe, the Jubaland government agreed to integrate up to 1,440 fighters of various militias and of the Darawiish into Division 43 and the SNA, along with another 1,440 new recruits and independent militias in 2015. However by January 2016, it was noticed that up to 500 troops had dropped out of the integration process. While there hadn't been any official SNA forces in the division until the inauguration in July 2015 in Kismayo, SNA documents provided to the United Nations Security Council had been reporting a consistent 3,034 personnel since 2013. This money had not been accounted for. [7]
Through 2020 and 2021, elements of the federal forces and Division 43 have been at heads with the local Darawiish forces, with a battle in Balad Hawo between 700 SNA troops against the Darawiish in May 2020, and fierce battles between Jubaland forces and SNA troops again in Balad Hawo in January 2021, leading to the capture of several hundred Jubaland soldiers. Somali minister of information Osman Dubbe launched allegations that the Kenyan government was arming these militias, which they denied. [8] [9]
Gedo is an administrative region (gobol) in Jubaland, southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. It was created in 1974 and is bordered by the Ogaden in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and the Somali regions of Bakool, Bay, Jubbada Dhexe, and Jubbada Hoose further down east. The southern parts of Gedo, west of the Jubba River, used to be part of the old British Trans-Juba region during half of the seventy years of colonial era in Africa from 1890 to 1960. The British and Italians fought twice over this area. The first democratically elected governor of the administrative region was Hussein Farey, who entered office in 2008.
Middle Juba is an administrative region (gobol) in southern Somalia. With its capital at Bu'aale, it is located in the autonomous Jubaland region.
Kismayo is a port city in the southern Lower Juba province of Somalia. It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region.
Bardere is a city in Jubaland State of Somalia. It is the second largest and most populous city in Jubaland with Kismayo being the largest and most densely populated city in the region. Bardera sits on the Jubba River around 250 km west of the city of Baidoa and is in a highland area with fertile soil. The city experiences extremely hot temperatures from December to April and heavy rainfalls from April to May knowns as Gu (spring) The city was formerly known as the "Onion capital of the World" for its production of the vegetable, the name Bardere means tall palm trees. The palms were cut to construct native homes or midille.
The Juba Valley Alliance is a political faction of the Somali Civil War. It was the primary opponent of the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM) and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) vying for the control of Kismayo and the Juba River valley, the area known as Jubaland.
The fall of Kismayo occurred on January 1, 2007, when the troops of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and Ethiopian forces entered the Somali city of Kismayo unopposed. It came after the Islamic Courts Union's forces faltered and fled in the Battle of Jilib, abandoning their final stronghold.
Sheikh Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki was a Somali Islamist leader of al-Itihaad al-Islamiya (AIAI) and later of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU).
The Somali Civil War (2009–present) is the ongoing phase of the Somali Civil War which is concentrated in southern and central Somalia. It began in late January 2009 with the conflict mainly between the forces of the Federal Government of Somalia assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops and al-Qaeda aligned al-Shabaab militants.
The Raskamboni Movement was a jihadist Islamic movement led by Sheikh Ahmed Madobe, the current president of the Jubaland state in southern Somalia. After fighting with Al-Shabaab they managed to capture Kismayo with the help of Kenya.
The Battle of Gedo is a conflict of the 2009–present phase of the Somali Civil War. Centered in the region of Gedo, it pits the Somali government and its allies against the al-Qaeda-aligned militant group Al-Shabaab.
This is a 2012 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).
The Battle of Kismayo was an offensive led by the Kenya Defence Forces, under the codename Operation Sledge Hammer, to seize the port city of Kismayo, Somalia, from Al-Shabaab from 28 September 2012. Fighting alongside the Kenya Army were Raskamboni movement militia and the Somali Army.
Jubaland, the Juba Valley or Azania, is a Federal Member State in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km (25–35 mi) east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in Kenya, which was carved out of Jubaland during the colonial period.
This is a 2014 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).
Operation Indian Ocean was a joint military operation between the Somali military, AMISOM and the United States military against the Al-Shabaab militant group aimed at eliminating the remaining insurgent-held areas in southern Somalia. It officially began in August 2014.
This is a 2015 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).
This article contains a timeline of events for the Somali jihadist group al-Shabaab.
The Somali Danab is a highly trained Somali National Army commando force. Its strikes have repeatedly raided land in quick succession previously held by Somali Al-Qaeda linked insurgents Al-Shabaab.
The Somaliland National Army, is the land force and largest branch of the Somaliland Armed Forces is based in the Somaliland capital of Hargeisa. There are approximately under 100,000 active members. The Somaliland National Army is composed entirely of professionals and volunteers due to the army not being mandatory of conscription. Some Somaliland battalions operate near the Puntland border due to a border dispute.
On October 7, 2022, Somali Army troops repulsed an Al-Shabaab attack on a military base near Balad, Somalia. In the skirmish, nineteen al-Shabaab members were reportedly killed.