The Battle of Jowhar took place during the
2006 Somali War between the
Islamic Courts Union
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 ...
(ICU) and affiliated militias against
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
n and
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) (, , ) was internationally recognized as a provisional government of the Somalia from 14 October 2004 until 20 August 2012. It was established in Nairobi, Kenya, following the Transitional National Govern ...
(TFG) forces for control of the town of
Jowhar
Jowhar (, , Italian: ''Giohar'') is the capital city of Hirshabelle state of Somalia. Jowhar is also the administrative capital of Middle Shabelle region of Somalia.
Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of th ...
(located at ). It began on December 27, 2006, when retreating ICU forces regrouped near their stronghold of Jowhar.
[Ethiopian, Somali government troops force Islamic fighters to retreat from strategic city]
International Herald Tribune 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.
[
]
Background
After failing to contain the TFG/Ethiopian push in the Battle of Baidoa
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 tro ...
, 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.[Ethiopians take key Somali town]
BBC News
Battle
Reports from Jowhar
Jowhar (, , Italian: ''Giohar'') is the capital city of Hirshabelle state of Somalia. Jowhar is also the administrative capital of Middle Shabelle region of Somalia.
Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of th ...
said that fighting began on December 27 in the town of Jimbale.[ 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
Mohamed Omar Habeb (), commonly known as Mohamed Dheere or Mohamed Dhere (died November 15, 2012), 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 t ...
, led the assault.[Ethiopian, Somali Troops Regain Jowhar]
CBS
At 10:00am, ICU forces were reported pulling out of town.[SOMALIA: UN warns of humanitarian crisis as aid flights suspended]
IRIN At 10:30am, witnesses reported seeing heavily armed Ethiopian troops with tanks entering the former ICU stronghold. Casualties are unknown at this time.[Somalia: ICU loses Jowhar, another key town 90KM from Mogadishu]
SomaliNet 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.
Aftermath
The loss of Jowhar led the ICU to retreat further to Balad in middle Shabelle province, a town 30 kilometres away from Mogadishu
Mogadishu, locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Ocean for millennia and has ...
. This created chaos in the town, according to some sources, including looting.[Battles continue]
7Days 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.[Ethiopian, Somali troops regain Jowhar]
Associated Press Later in the day, they were reported to be occupying Balad, where the column halted any advancements to avoid causing civilian casualties in Mogadishu.
Reuters
See also
*Somalia War (2006–2009)
The Somali Civil War (; ) is an List of ongoing armed conflicts, ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed ...
References
External links
Jowhar Map
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jowhar
2006 in Somalia
Battles of the War in Somalia (2006–2009)
December 2006 in Africa
Battles in 2006
Battles involving the Islamic Courts Union
Battles of the Somali Civil War involving Ethiopia
Middle Shabelle