The siege of Baidoa was a military confrontation lasting from July 2008 to January 2009 during the

Ethiopian occupation of Somalia Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global Ethiopian diaspora, diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute #Ethnicity, several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighbor ...

, during which al-Shabaab laid siege to the headquarters of the Ethiopian backed Somali

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). During January 2009, the first TFG collapsed and Al-Shabaab overran the seat of the government in

Baidoa Baidoa (, Somali (Af-Maxaa): , ) is the largest city of the South West State of Somalia. Between 2002 and 2014, Baidoa was the capital of the South West State. In 2014, the capital was changed to Barawa. Overview Baydhabo is the main hub of ...

Timeline

A year after Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia, the insurgency fighting against the

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 ...

intensified pressure on

Ethiopian National Defense Force The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) () is the combined military force of Ethiopia. ENDF is consisted of 10 command forces which is controlled by the Chief of General Staff. Commanders of the Military Supreme Commander – Taye At ...

(ENDF) and

(TFG) troops in the

Bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

region. Despite capturing

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 ...

from 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) at the end of 2006, many TFG ministers opted to stay in

, the provisional capital in Bay, due to the insurgency's growing threat. By mid-2008, Al-Shabaab, ICU loyalists, and supporters of the

Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia The Alliance for the Re–liberation of Somalia (ARS) was a political party formed in Eritrea during September 2007 as the successor to the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) during the Ethiopian military occupation of Somalia. It served as the principal ...

(ARS) emerged as the main insurgent forces across Somalia. The Mogadishu-Afgooye-Baidoa

highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights of way. In the United States, it is also used as an equivalent term to controlled-access highway, or ...

became a key insurgency hotspot, with escalating attacks around Baidoa city as well. On July 8, 2008, al-Shabaab launched a midnight attack on Baidoa's presidential palace, airport and parliament with rockets and mortars, killing 11 soldiers in the encircled and vulnerable de facto capital of the Transitional Government. Baidoa Airport is considered the lifeline for the city. In the tense situation, Baidoa police opened fire on a bus that refused to stop for them, killing many on board. TFG police were known to extort money from travelers at roadblocks, and this was likely an unrelated incident. On July 9, islamists seized a large shipment of

Ethiopian Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...

arms and military vehicles from an armored convoy heading from

Baledogle Airfield Baledogle Airfield, also called Wanlaweyn Airstrip, is the largest military air base in Somalia, about 90 kilometers northwest of the capital, Mogadishu. The airfield was constructed in the 1970s for the Somali Air Force with assistance of the So ...

to Baidoa meant for the TFG military. Three Islamists were killed in the battle, as well as one confirmed government soldier dead. The convoy was attacked a second time in Wanla Weyne before finally reaching Baidoa. On July 10, Islamists seized the control of Deynunay town, located 20 km south of Baidoa, killing one government soldier, a spokesman said. Fierce fighting near Daynunay continued for a second day on July 11 as Islamist and TFG forces battled; three TFG soldiers were killed in the battle. On July 13, al-Shabaab forces regrouped and reoccupied

Bardhere Bardere (, , ) also known as Bardera, is a city in Jubaland State of Somalia. It is the second most populous city in Jubaland with Kismayo being the largest and most densely populated city in the region. Bardere sits on the Jubba River around 250& ...

and Burhakaba, mustering forces in these two towns en route to Baidoa, as TFG presence in these towns had long since been expelled. The

United Nations Development Program The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries Poverty reduction, eliminate poverty and achieve Sustainable development, sustainable economic growth and Human development (economics), hu ...

(UNDP), an organisation with many years of experience in Somalia, withdrew from Baidoa due to the imminent attack. On August 27, a bombing attack in the city left the son of a Somali MP dead along with one of his bodyguards. On September 5, Islamist fighters attacked an

Ethiopian Army The Ethiopian Army () is the land service branch of the Ethiopian National Defense Force. It is the senior of the two uniformed military branches. The force engages in land warfare and combined arms operations, including armored and mechanize ...

convoy that recently left the city in the town of Bardale, 55 kilometers southwest of Baidoa. Two Ethiopian soldiers, two insurgents and one civilian were killed in the attack and one Ethiopian Army truck was burned. Two days later on September 7, insurgents attacked a police station in the city but there were no casualties. On September 20, heavy fighting between Somali government troops and the insurgents killed at least two soldiers, three insurgents and one civilian in the city when a government checkpoint was attacked. On October 2, three separate insurgent attacks in the town killed two civilians and one soldier. On October 13, more heavy fighting resulted in the deaths of four insurgents and two Ethiopian soldiers after an Ethiopian Army convoy, heading into Baidoa, was ambushed. On December 24, a landmine killed three policemen in the city. On January 26, 2009, Islamist forces captured Baidoa, which was by this point the last major city controlled by the Transitional Government. The city's capture came after Ethiopian troops completely pulled out of the country only a day prior. Pro-government and anti-Islamist forces remained in control of a corridor of territory along the border with Ethiopia, and most of

Gedo Gedo (, , , or ''Ghedu'') is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in Jubaland, southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. The region was formed during 1974 and is bordered by the Ogaden in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province ...

and

Bakool Bakool (, , ) is a region ('' gobol'') in southwestern Somalia. Overview It is bordered by the Somali regions of Hiiraan, Bay and Gedo. Bakool, like Gedo, Bay and most parts of the Jubbada Dhexe (Middle Juba) region, used to be a part of th ...

. Somali MP Mohamed Ibrahim Habsade and his troops, along with ten other MP's, surrendered to Islamist forces as they entered Baidoa. During the takeover, government troops and militiamen attempted to resist, resulting in fighting that left five civilians and four soldiers dead but were not able to stop the insurgent advance.

References

2008 in Somalia

2008 crimes in Somalia Battles in 2008 Battles in 2009 Sieges involving Ethiopia {{DEFAULTSORT:Baidoa, Siege of Battles involving al-Shabaab (militant group) Attacks on military installations in 2008 Attacks on military installations in 2009 Attacks on military installations in Somalia 2000s sieges