Qandala (also known as Candala, Andala, Bender Chor, Bandar Kor, Bender Kor or Taba Tege) is an ancient port town in the northeastern Bari province of

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constitut ...

Overview

Qandala sits on a

wadi Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet ( ephemeral) riverbed that contains water on ...

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...

, which forms a natural protective harbor for vessels on the

Gulf of Aden The Gulf of Aden ( ar, خليج عدن, so, Gacanka Cadmeed 𐒅𐒖𐒐𐒕𐒌 𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒗𐒒) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Chan ...

. It lies 75 kilometres (47 mi) east of

Bosaso Bosaso ( so, Boosaaso, ar, بوصاصو), historically known as Bender Cassim is a city in the northeastern Bari province ('' gobol'') of Somalia. It is the seat of the Bosaso District. Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, the mun ...

, 549 kilometres (341 mi) south of Aden, and 475 kilometres (295 mi) west of

Socotra Socotra or Soqotra (; ar, سُقُطْرَىٰ ; so, Suqadara) is an island of the Republic of Yemen in the Indian Ocean, under the ''de facto'' control of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, a secessionist participant in Yemen� ...

. The city is located in the autonomous

Puntland Puntland ( so, Puntland, ar, أرض البنط, it, Terra di Punt or ''Paese di Punt''), officially the Puntland State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Puntland ee Soomaaliya, ar, ولاية أرض البنط الصومالية), is a F ...

region of Somalia. It is the capital of the

Qandala District Qandala District ( so, Degmada Qandala), also spelled Candala District is a district in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officiall ...

. In antiquity, Qandala was an active trading center for merchants from the interior of the

Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...

, who transported goods such as

incense Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also ...

gum Gum may refer to: Types of gum * Adhesive * Bubble gum * Chewing gum * Gum (botany), sap or other resinous material associated with certain species of the plant kingdom ** Gum arabic, made from the sap of ''Acacia senegal'', an Old World tree s ...

and aromatic woods to and from the port. Its nickname Gacanka Hodonka ("Gulf of Prosperity") is a relic from this era. Additionally, Qandala is coextensive with the ancient town of

Botiala Botiala ( so, Butiyaalo), also known as Bottiala or Bandar Kor, is an archaeological site in the northeastern Bari region of Puntland. History Botiala is located in a valley to the east of the ancient port city of Qandala, between Cape Guardafu ...

. The latter settlement features an old

fortress A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

complex, which overlooks and controls the mouth of the wadi leading inland.

2016 ISIL capture

On 26 October 2016, a militant group linked to

ISIL An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...

captured Qandala with 50 armed fighters after brief firefight with local security forces, thus becoming the first town to be seized by Islamic State affiliated militants in Somalia.

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

reported that ISIL militants had withdrawn from the town for unclear reasons. However, the report was denied by other media outlets and claimed that it is false. On 7 December 2016, a Somali official says Puntland security forces have recaptured the port from ISIL-linked fighters, killing 30 militants. Another four soldiers were also killed during the operation.

Demographics

Qandala has a population of around 19,300 inhabitants.Somalia City & Town PopulationTageo.com
Retrieved on 2011-12-15.

Education

Qandala has a number of academic institutions. According to the Puntland Ministry of Education, there are 15 primary schools in the Qandala District. Among these are Xamure, Dhadar, Turmasale and Gurur.

Transportation

Qandala has a small

seaport A port is a maritime law, maritime facility comprising one or more Wharf, wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge Affreightment, cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can a ...

. Air transportation in the city is served by the

Candala Airport Candala Airport is an airstrip serving Candala (also spelled Qandala), a town in the northeastern Bari region in Puntland, Somalia. Facilities The airstrip is open to the public. Its airfield has an elevation of above mean sea level There ...

.. Retrieved 21 August 2013.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Candala, Somalia
Populated places in Bari, Somalia Maritime history of Somalia Port cities in Africa Gulf of Aden