Fall Of Mogadishu
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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 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). 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.Ethiopian, Somali Troops Near Mogadishu
in The Guardian, by Associated Press.
The city's fall marked the beginning of the Ethiopian
military occupation Military occupation, also called belligerent occupation or simply occupation, is temporary hostile control exerted by a ruling power's military apparatus over a sovereign territory that is outside of the legal boundaries of that ruling pow ...
in Mogadishu and the start of a rising Islamist
insurgency An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare against a larger authority. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric warfare, asymmetric nature: small irregular forces ...
. The security situation in the capital began to rapidly deteriorate soon after and warlords who had been removed by the ICU began to reassert themselves.


Background

After series of military defeats following a week a fighting, the Islamic Courts Union began withdrawing it forces across its front lines almost simultaneously. The TFG envoy to Ethiopia announced they would lay
siege A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...
to Mogadishu until it surrendered, rather than directly assault the city. "We are not going to fight for Mogadishu to avoid civilian casualties…Our troops will surround Mogadishu until they surrender," he told reporters in Addis Ababa.Pro-govt troops to besiege Mogadishu: Somali envoy
, Reuters.
On 26 December, Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi announced the Ethiopia troops were not planning to enter Mogadishu. On 27 December, the Islamic Courts vowed to wage a
guerilla Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrorism ...
movement that would extend for "years and years and years." That day ENDF/TFG forces advanced on Mogadishu from two directions and residents began fleeing the capital. The city was reported to be in an anarchic state as Islamists fighters began withdrawing and changing uniforms. The drug
Khat Khat (''Catha edulis''), also known as Bushman's tea, especially in South Africa, is a flowering plant native to eastern and southeastern Africa. It has a history of cultivation originating in the Harar area (present day eastern Ethiopia) and ...
, which had been banned by the ICU, returned to public sale.Somalia: Islamists disappearing in the capital
, SomaliNet.
As Ethiopian troops approached, they were accompanied by the warlords who the ICU had defeated in mid-2006. The Ethiopians allowed the warlords to regain control over the fiefdoms they had previously lost to the courts.


Resignation of ICU Leaders

As fighting neared Mogadishu, the Islamists turned over their weapons to the clans in the capital and the
Hawiye The Hawiye (; ) are one of the principal and largest of the Somali clans, tracing their lineage back to Sheikh Ahmed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Uthman, also known as Sheikh Hawiye, the eponymous figure of the clan. They are considered the earliest do ...
, one of Somalia's largest clans, began discussing a peaceful resolution with the interim government. The stability created by the Islamic militias also began to collapse with people returning to their homes and bandits once again roaming the streets.Somalia: Islamists hand over weapons to their clans
, Somali Net.
Fighting began early on the 27th in Yaqshid, a district in northern Mogadishu, as clan militias attempted to raid an arms warehouse. The clan militias, who had been disarmed by the ICU, appeared to be attempting to rearm in preparation for the return of the warlords associated with the government. Abdirahman Dinari, spokesperson for the TFG, stated that these were a minority of militias and that they would be "dealt with" once they had taken control of the city. Most businesses had closed by the 28th, as proprietors waited for developments."Somalia: Mogadishu in chaos as Islamic militia leave"
'' IRIN'', 28 December 2006.
The top leaders of the ICU, including
Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...
Hassan Dahir Aweys, Sheikh
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (, ; born 25 July 1965) is a Somali politician who served as the 7th President of Somalia from 2009 to 2012. Before his presidency, he became the Chairman of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) from 2004 to 2007 and the A ...
and Sheikh Abdirahman Janaqow, resigned in anticipation of the siege. Their official press release called upon ICU fighters to secure the areas in which they were stationed and expressed their regret that foreign powers had invaded the country and that Somalia would return to chaos.Somalia: ICU leaders resign as Ethiopian army nears the capital
, 27 December 2006.


Entry of ENDF/TFG

On December 28, TFG spokesman Abdirahman Dinari cautiously expressed, "We are taking control of the city and I will confirm when we have established complete control… Our forces already effectively control Mogadishu because we have taken over the two control points on the main roads outside the city… Within two to three hours we will capture the whole city." He also added that the government was in control of 95% of the country, but a state of emergency would be imposed to bring law and order back to the country. An ebullient Member of Parliament, Mohamed Jama Fuurah, called Reuters from the port of Mogadishu saying, "The government has taken over Mogadishu. We are now in charge." Pro-government militias were said to have control of key locations, including the former presidential palace.Somali govt close to taking Mogadishu
, Reuters.
Ali Ghedi, the Prime Minister of the transitional government, stated that Somali government troops had entered Mogadishu without resistance, as well as the town of Afgoye on its outskirts. Mohamed Jama Furuh, a member of parliament and former warlord, took control of Mogadishu's seaport on the government's behalf, an area he had controlled before the rise of the ICU as a warlord. The President, Abdullahi Yusuf, asserted that TFG troops were not a threat to the city-dwellers, though there were some reports of gunfire in the city.Troops Enter Mogadishu; Refugees Drown
''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', 28 December 2006.
On December 29, Ghedi entered the city after consultations with clan leaders on the outskirts. He was received by cheering crowds and anti-Ethiopian protests.Mogadishu crowds greet Somali PM
BBC News, December 29, 2006.
Roughly 3,000 ICU fighters fled towards the port city of
Kismayo Kismayo (, , ; ) is a port city in the southern Lower Juba (Jubbada Hoose) province of Somalia. It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region. The city is situated southwest of the capital Mogadishu, near the mouth of the Jub ...
, their last remaining stronghold, 300 miles (500 km) to the south.Islamists abandon Somali capital
BBC, Thursday, 28 December 2006, 11:24 GMT.
In Kismayo, executive leader of the ICU,
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (, ; born 25 July 1965) is a Somali politician who served as the 7th President of Somalia from 2009 to 2012. Before his presidency, he became the Chairman of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) from 2004 to 2007 and the A ...
was defiant, "We will not run away from our enemies. We will never depart from Somalia. We will stay in our homeland."Thousands greet Somalia's prime minister as he enters capital
Associated Press


Military occupation and insurgency

On December 31, in Mogadishu a missile aimed at Ethiopian troops slammed into a residential area reportedly killing one woman and injuring a man and their daughter.Ethiopia targets Islamist outpost, blast in Mogadishu
Reuters
Also, an explosion occurred around 9pm local time at the Hotel Ramadan in Yaaqshiid district, former headquarters of the ICU. Two people were injured. It was speculated that the target might have been Ethiopian troops who had taken over control of the hotel.Ethiopian soldiers might be target of explosion in Mogadishu
Garowe Online
On 7 January, anti-Ethiopian protests broke out in Mogadishu, with hundreds of residents hurling stones and shouting threats towards ENDF troops. Ethiopian troops opened fire on the crowd after stones struck their patrol car, resulting in the death of two; including a 13-year boy. That same night a former ICU official was also assassinated in the city by gunmen. In an attempt the assert control over the city, TFG PM Ali Gedi announced a 3 day ultimatum for the population to turn over their weapons. On 13 January, the TFG imposed
martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
. The directives, which included a ban on public meetings, attempts to organize political campaigns and major media outlets, was enforced by Ethiopian troops. Warlord militia checkpoints began reappearing on Mogadishu roads and insecurity started once again returning to the city.


References

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 ...
2006 in Ethiopia 2006 in Somalia
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 ...
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 ...
2000s in Mogadishu December 2006 in Africa Battles in 2006 {{DEFAULTSORT:Mogadishu, Fall of Battles involving the Islamic Courts Union Military history of Mogadishu 2000s sieges Battles of the Somali Civil War involving Ethiopia Battles in Mogadishu City captures