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 troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.
The battle began with most reports depicting the government forces defecting and its position on the verge of collapse. The TFG, along with its allies in the Juba Valley Alliance (JVA), had certainly been on the retreat since the June offensives of the ICU. By the opening of the battle in December, Baidoa was invested with attacks coming in at least three directions.
Strong Ethiopian reinforcements rapidly changed the battle from one in which the TFG was on the defensive, through a strong series of counterattacks, to a decisive Ethiopian/TFG victory. Ethiopian armored, artillery, and air forces proved instrumental against the ICU's militia. The battle began the Ethiopian intervention against the ICU, in the 2006–2009 War in Somalia.
Timeline 20 December 2006
On 20 December, heavy fighting broke out between Somali government troops and Islamists southeast of BaidoaFighting erupts on Somali front near govt stronghold Reuters where the Islamists claimed to have taken the government's military base in Daynuunay, a claim verified by residents in the area. Both sides accused one another of starting the violence. The conflict thereafter moved north to the Islamist stronghold in Moode Moode.Heavy fighting erupts in Somalia BBC Heavy weapons, including artillery, rockets and mortars were involved. Shabelle Media NetworkSomali Islamist downplays war fears amid clashes Reuters Initial claims of casualties in this area were at least ten dead ICU militiamen and forty TFG soldiers wounded.Heavy fighting rages near Baidoa, the government base SomaliNet Later claims of ICU casualties by the TFG were 71 Islamic soldiers dead and 221 injured, including two dead foreign fighters. The TFG claimed its own casualties were 3 dead and 7 wounded while the ICU claimed to have killed 7 government soldiers.Skirmishes in Somalia follow agreement to resume peace talks Associated Press
Fighting was reported on many fronts around the capital in Iidale village (55 km south of Baidoa) between a government reconnaissance team and the Islamists, Buulo Jadid (23 km north of Baidoa, also spelled Bullo Jadid) and Manaas (30 km southwest of Baidoa).Residents flee fighting near Baidoa Reuters One TFG death and numerous injured civilians were reported in Iidale. Shabelle Media Network A later report raised the casualties to three soldiers killed and two injured. Thirteen trucks filled with Ethiopian reinforcements were reported en route to the fighting.
An AFP report mentioned the TFG claimed the attack on Iidale was led by Abu Taha al-Sudan, who is "wanted by Washington for carrying out attacks against its embassies in east Africa in 1998 and against an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya in 2002."
This report raised the death toll from the artillery duel in Iidale to 12, and added that the government captured 30 "armed vehicles" (presumably technicals). It also contradicted the fall of Daynuunay to the ICU: "'The fighting is so fierce, but government forces are still controlling Daynuunay,' said Issak Adan Mursaley, a resident in Deynunay."Clashes broaden between Somali Islamist and government troops AFP
Meanwhile, an EU peace-brokering commission led by Louis Michel landed at Baidoa and then Mogadishu to meet, respectively, with the TFG and ICU representatives. Shabelle Media Networks Discussions yielded the agreement to meet in Khartoum, Sudan at an unspecified future date.Govt, Islamic rivals to hold peace talks Associated Press
In Dadaab, Kenya, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Wendy Chamberlin, said camps there accounted for 34,000 refugees fleeing the fighting and floods in Somalia, but that number is expected to grow to 80,000 if fighting continues. The World Food Programme (WFP) is attempting to provide relief, but floods and mud have hampered ground transportation.Political crisis in Somalia escalates NDTV Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, speaking for the ICU, claimed fighting was going its way in Iidale and Buulo Jadid, saying they captured two technicals, killed nine soldiers and had taken prisoners in the fighting.Changes dateline, adds casualties, quotes, EU update (sic) dpa German Press Agency
21 December 2006
On 21 December, Puntland President Adde Muse claimed ICU casualties were heavy in the fighting around Baidoa, sustaining 75 dead and 125 wounded, along with the loss of 30 vehicles burned or captured.Islamists suffered heavy casualties, says Puntland president Garowe Online
Also reported on the 21st, fighting in Iidale and Daynuunay was said to have started the prior morning and continued through the next day. No end to the fighting seemed imminent, as both sides continued to gather reinforcements. Casualty figures were unavailable, but the numbers were expected to be in the hundreds easily. The report went on to refute the ICU claim of victory, and stated that the government was again in possession of Iidale and had killed foreign fighters. The government also captured dozens of Islamist students who took up arms, sufficient in quantity to fill three lorries.Clashes enter the second day, government may have upper hand SomaliNet
Sketchy, unattributed and unconfirmable reports stated Baidoa was on the "brink of collapse," and put the odds of fighters in the battle at 10-to-1 in favor of the ICU, with unconfirmed reports that the ICU are being provided with "high-tech weaponry, trainers and even fighters from many Muslim countries and Eritrea".Baidao on the brink of collapse SomaliNet
22 December 2006
By 22 December, TFG refuted assertions of collapse when it claimed to have inflicted 700 casualties on the ICU. The ICU claimed to have killed more than 200 government troops.http://somalinet.com/news/world/Somalia/6049 SomaliNet
Contrary to ICU claims, the TFG said it was advancing. Reports put TFG troops in Safar Noles, on the approaches to Dinsoor.Somalia: War bulletin - December 22nd SomaliNet
Nearly 20 Ethiopian tanks were seen heading toward the front line. According to government sources Ethiopia has 20 T-55 tanks and four attack helicopters in Baidoa. The tanks were reported to be splitting into two groups heading towards fighting in Daynuunay and Iidale.Ethiopian tanks roll in Somali battle's fourth day Reuters Ethiopia may have as many as 50 tanks and other armored vehicles in the country.Ethiopian Ethiopian tanks roll into Somalia dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Civilian casualties were reported as dozens killed and over 200 wounded.SOMALIA: Dozens killed as fighting continues in the south IRIN
To the north, in Mudug, 500 Ethiopian troops with eight tanks and 30 pickup trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns were headed for Bandiradley, an Islamic Courts stronghold in central Somalia, according to witnesses and Islamic Courts officials. The Council of Islamic Courts said they would send ground troops to attack on Saturday, instead of fighting from a distance with heavy weapons as they have been doing so far. "Our troops have not started to attack. From tomorrow the attack will start," said Ibrahim Shukri Abuu-Zeynab, an Islamic Courts spokesman.Somalia Civilians flee fighting Al Jazeera
A TFG press release stated a unit of 500 Eritrean troops with artillery and other heavy weapons had reinforced Burhakaba. It claimed TFG troops had successfully destroyed an ICU force in Dinsoor, killing all the commanders, forcing the rest to surrender, and resulting in five foreign fighters committing suicide rather than face capture.Somalia: Government press release - war situation SomaliNet
Nineteen bodies of Islamic fighters were found in Moode Moode by an Associated Press photographer. Reports that the ICU is forcing people to fight in Baidoa are claimed by a captured Islamic fighter.Carnage as Somalia "in state of war CNN
The Council of Islamic Courts leader said that Somalia was in "a state of war" with the TFG and Ethiopia.Thousands flee as war escalates CNN
23 December 2006
Fighting continued in and around Baidoa, particularly at Iidale and Dinsoor; approximately 60 and 120 kilometres south of Baidoa, respectively. Iidale was reportedly captured by the Islamists.Islamists 'capture' frontline position Sunday Herald SunSomali Courts capture government position Middle East Online
Somali Information Minister of the TFG, Ali Jama, quoted that "The combined total from two fronts is over 500 Islamists killed since Wednesday".Ethiopian tanks move into battle with Somalia Islamists AFP He later went on to report that most of those that were killed were children sent by the ICU to fight in the fronts east and south of Baidoa.
The ICU vowed all out war against the Ethiopian-backed transitional government, with Islamic commander Hassan Bullow stating that "This war is a religious obligation and we are here to fight for our religion against the enemies until we die." Islamic officials scorned the African Union and Arab League for doing nothing, saying "The world is silent today while Ethiopian forces are killing us inside our country, but tomorrow when we defeat them and chase them things will be changed, we will enter their territories and at that moment the world will shout".Ethiopian tanks move into battle with Somalia Islamists ABCSomali Islamists urge Muslims to join war on Ethiopia Reuters One resident saw Islamist fighters pushing toward Daynunay, the government's forward military base about southeast of its encircled base at Baidoa. "This morning, I heard sounds of rockets being fired from the frontline," Hassan Yusuf added. He said he saw three dead Ethiopian soldiers taken by Islamist fighters to a village close to Daynunay on Friday, while wounded Islamist fighters were being treated in nearby Buur Hakaba.
Islamists, for the first time, called upon international fighters to join their cause stating "We're saying our country is open to Muslims worldwide. Let them fight in Somalia and wage jihad, and God willing, attack Addis Ababa".Somali Islamists urge Muslim fighters to join jihad Reuters
ICU defense chief, Sheik Yusuf Mohammed Siad Indho-adde, made a world-wide appeal for jihadists to come to Somalia, and claimed the ICU had taken Tiyoglow, Bakol province. Shabelle Media Networks Independent journalists were also shown that Iidale had been taken by the ICU, where they were shown bodies of Ethiopian troops. The TFG denied the claims as "cheap propaganda."Ethiopian bodies seen in Idale town SomaliNet
The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed their concern over those caught up in the fighting, quoting the figure of 200 wounded fighters being brought into hospitals on both sides.
24 December 2006
Islamist Abdulahi Gedow, commander of forces in Burhakaba, claimed to have seized Gasarta, less than 12 km south of Baidoa. Shabelle Media Networks This would be an advance of 10 km north of Daynunay (which is 22 km southeast of Baidoa). Islamists claimed that five Ethiopian tanks were destroyed.Ethiopian planes bomb Somali areas: witnesses Reuters
TFG Defence Minister Barre Shire Hirale claimed to have retaken Iidale after a clash in which over 100 were killed.Over 100 killed in clashes SA
In Kismayo, 1,000 men were said to be leaving for the battle, presumably to fight on behalf of the ICU.Ethiopia fights rival Somali Islamists Reuters
Ethiopian airstrikes hit targets across Somalia, including Dinsoor and Burhakaba in the Bay region as part of the counter-offensive in the battle. To the north, Bandiradley in Mudug and Beledweyne in Hiiran were also struck.Ethiopian Airstrikes Target Islamists in Somalia Voice of America