The Battle of Mogadishu (2009) started in May with an Islamist offensive, when rebels from al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam attacked and captured government bases in the capital of Mogadishu. The fighting soon spread, causing hundreds of casualties, and continued on at various levels of intensity until October. The battle's name usually includes the year, when referenced, in order to distinguish it amongst the nine major Battles of Mogadishu during the decades long Somali Civil War.
The Islamist offensive lasted from 8 to 14 May and ended with relative success as they managed to take control over most of the capital, while ARS-D and government (TFG) forces withdrew into AMISOM protected territories. But despite major gains, the rebels failed to topple the government during the eight days of fighting and small scale clashes continued until 22 May, when the government launched a major offensive to retake the city, as Islamist forces had mostly withdrawn into the Central Region and the government was now backed by powerful warlord Indho Ade.
The government offensive initially had some success as they captured a few bases, however in a matter of hours the Islamist launched a successful counter offensive and re-captured the lost areas and made even more gains. As a result, the government offensive was aborted on 23 May.
The offensive was however resumed on 1 June, resulting in a third round of fighting which lasted until 4 June and saw the government make enormous gains. Islamists launched a new offensive on 16 June, lasting until 23 June, entering government strongholds in Eastern Mogadishu for the first time, the offensive was relatively successful and saw most neighbourhoods in Kaaraan, Shibis, Abdiaziz and Wardhigley fall to their control.
The government launched another offensive on 1 July, insurgents however successfully repelled the offensive, making gains until 5 July, when al-Shabaab's leader Sheikh Moktar Ali Zubeyr gave government forces a five-day ultimatum to hand over their weapons. The ultimatum was however rejected and so, al-Shabaab launched several attacks on key sites in the city provoking a major government offensive on 11 – 12 July, which led to a total expulsion of Islamist forces from the city. Islamists however returned on 13 July, with large re-enforcements from the South Eastern Region, government forces withdrew from all captured positions and minor clashes continued. A Seventh round of fighting was finally held between 21 and 27 August, which ended mostly indecisive. In early October the Al-Shabaab-Hizbul Islam alliance was broken by a power struggle in Kisimayo were after the two groups turned on each other. Both groups kept up their fight with the TFG however the split between the two groups marked a downwards trend in violence.
A report Elman Peace and Human Rights group at the end of the year said that 1,739 people had been killed throughout 2009 by violence in Mogadishu.
Prelude Sheikh Sharif Ahmed assumed the presidency on 31 January 2009, which marked the start of a new phase in the Somali Civil War as Islamist hardliners such al-Shabaab and newly created Hizbul Islam vowed to continue the war.allafrica Throughout February there were clashes in Mogadishu, but they were mostly attacks on AMISOM forces.
2 February 2009 A bomb hit an AMISOM convoy killing 18 civilians; AMISOM peacekeepers responded by opening fire on al-Shabaab insurgents, leaving over 20 people killed.Google News , 2 February 2009
4 February 2009 Tahlil Ahmed, the director of independent news agency, HornAfrik was shot and killed by gunmen in the city, insurgents denied any involvement.BBC , 4 February 2009
8 February A gunbattle between AMISOM peacekeepers and al-Shabaab insurgents resulted in the death of three civilians that were caught in the crossfire, after rebels attacked the peacekeepers., 8 February 2009
12 February 2009 Two civilians were killed when al-Shabaab fired 11 mortars into the government-controlled seaport.allafrica , 12 February 2009
20 February 2009 Another ambush on AMISOM forces resulted in a gun battle which left one civilian dead., 20 February 2009
22 February 2009
When a double suicide bombing by Hizbul Islam targeting an AMISOM convoy peace keepers leaving 11 dead and 15 injured.BBC , 22 February 2009 The attack was widely condemned by international observers as well as government and opposition leaders.
A clash in Afgoy, on the same day, left one insurgent and one soldier dead.
24-25 February 2009
From 24 to 25 February, there was a battle of South Mogadishu which killed nearly 50 and wounded over 300.allafrica , 28 February 2009 Among the dead where, at least six policemen and 15 Insurgents. The battle was condemned by both sides due to the large number of civilian casualties.
March–May 2009 In March, April and May there were several mortar attacks, killing dozens. The mortar attacks were usually aimed at the presidential palace or the parliamentary building but sometimes also AMISOM bases, usually only resulting in civilian casualties.mareeg , 4 March 2009allafrica , 15 April 2009allafrica , 26 April 2009allafrica , 27 April 2009allafrica , 5 May 2009
16 April 2009 16 April, Somali lawmaker Abdulahi Isse Abtidon was assassinated in Mogadishu. Before that, mortar attacks had already injured 2 MPs.allafrica , 16 April 2009 Though no group claimed responsibility, the government blamed al-Shabaab for it.allafrica , 17 April 2009 On 21 April a second MP was assassinated: Mohamed Mohamud Jimale ("Agaweyne")allafrica , 22 April 2009 This man was also a military commander of the ICU.allafrica , 22 April 2009 On 23 April, Abdi Mohamed Dhabaney, the Hodan district commissioner escaped explosion attack on Maka al-Mukarama road which was intended to kill him.allafrica , 24 April 2009 ICU leaders were also targeted on 5 May, though that attack killed only a bodyguard. In total ICU militia commanders and a Somali lawmaker with close ties to the ICU were gunned down in Mogadishu in April.allafrica , 6 May 2009
23 April 2009 23 April, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, leader of the Asmara-based wing of the ARS and most important figure of Hizbul Islam, returned to Mogadishu after 2 years of exile in Eritrea.allafrica , 24 April 2009 He refused to talk to Somali President: Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, demanding an AMISOM withdraw first. The two, traded though words, heavily criticizing each other.allafrica , 27 April 2009 Sheikh Sharif ruled out an AMISOM withdraw.allafrica , 29 April 2009 Sheikh Aweys' security advisor later also accused Somali Security Minister Omar Hashi of "inciting war".allafrica , 6 May 2009
30 April 2009 On 30 April, senior al-Shabaab commander Sheikh Muktar, was assassinated in the Bakara market in response to attacks on Somali MPs.allafrica , 30 April 2009 7 May an al-Shabaab officer escaped an assassination attempt resulting in a heavy gunfight between his security guards and ICU forces.allafrica , 8 May 2009
Early May 2009 In early May, opposition fighters were pouring weapons and fighters into Mogadishu, preparing for their 8 May, offensive.allafrica , 6 May 2009 The government accused Eritrea of providing these weapons,allafrica , 5 May 2009 something which opposition figures denied.allafrica , 5 May 2009
4 May 2009 4 May, forces loyal to Sheikh Aweys and al-Shabaab attacked the ex-pasta factory in Northern Mogadishu which was used as Ethiopian base and then as base for Sheikh Indho Ade's militia which were at the time (May 2009) still part of Hizbul Islam, though involved in a power struggle with the rest of the group.allafrica , 4 May 2009 On the same day, some government forces sold their armed trucks to al-Shabaab.allafrica , 4 May 2005 On 7 May, Indho Ade even met with President Sheikh Sharif to discuss peace.allafrica , 8 May 2009
Deathtoll from 26 February to 6 May Per these reports: between 26 February and 6 May 2009, some 21 Insurgents, 23 Government Forces, two AMISOM Peacekeepers and 31 Civilians (including several aid workers) were killed in Mogadishu clashes.
The battle 7 May 2009 The Battle started on 7 May, as pro-government Islamist forces and al-Shabaab militants fought over Mogadishu stadium.allafrica [
8 May 2009 On 8 May both sides started amassing their forces in the city.allafrica , 8 May 2009 That day 15 people were killed and 50 injured. Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, Somalia's president, accepted a ceasefire that day, proposed by the Islamic mediation committee. However al-Shabaab continued fighting, as they were on the winning hand.allafrica , 8 May 2009
9 May 2009 This came after an al-Shabaab commander was gunned down. 9 May, at least seven people were killed and 10 were injured as pro-government Islamists and other Islamist rebels fought for control of Yaqshid police station in north Mogadishu. The fighting soon spread to other parts of the city and Medina hospital said that 120 injured people were brought to there.allafrica , 9 May 2009 The fighting came as government forces attacked the police station which was under control of the Hizbul Islam, rebel group. On the same day, a gun battle was held along Industry Road in Mogadishu between al-Shabaab and the ICU, al-Shabaab fighters were said to include foreign fighters (Arabs, Afghans and Pakistanis). Masked gunmen, then gunned down and killed two ICU militiamen in the Bakara market.allafrica , 9 May 2009 Also the homes of MP Mohamud Mire and MP Yusuf Hayle were attacked, the lawmakers were unharmed but 6 people, including a bodyguard were injured.allafrica , 10 May 2009
10 May 2009 10 May, during the fourth day of battle, at least 10 people were killed and 30 injured, five of which were injured during a mortar attack. Most of the fighting was centered in the Wardhigley district as explosions targeted a Somali MP's convoy, two people were killed and three injured. The attack came as the MP traveled passed a Hizbul Islam police station. A mortar which hit a house in Ged-jacel killed 1 and injured 3.allafrica , 10 May 2009 Hundreds of civilians fled the fighting in Yaqshid and Wardhigley districts this day.allafrica , 10 May 2009 Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam were said to have taken control of many government basesallafrica , 11 May 2009 and large parts of the city.allafrica , 11 May 2009
11 May 2009