A series of battles in Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle and Galguduud, between rebels of al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam and Somali government forces and ICU militants loyal to the government, erupted during spring 2009. The fighting led to al-Shabaab capturing major government strongholds and Ethiopian forces re-entering Somalia and setting up bases in Hiraan. There was a halt in fighting during a government offensive in Mogadishu, which started on May 22.
The fighting On May 11, al-Shabaab fighters seized control of the Buloburde district of Hiraan, which was under control of the ICU militants. They entered the town from all sides with a lot of battle Toyota pickup-trucks and immediately positioned themselves at the district police station. This was the first district in Hiraan to fall in the hands of al-Shabaab.somaliweyn , May 11, 2009
On May 12, ICU forces attacked al-Shabaab in Mahas, Hiraan. The fighting killed seven, after which it came to a standstill. Calm returned to the town on May 13, as the attackers had seized control of the town and al-Shabaab forces withdrew and started regrouping.allafrica , May 13, 2009
On May 14, fighting took place overnight between al-Shabaab and Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaah militants in the village of Yasoman, in Hiraan. The fighting left one insurgent dead and four people injured.mareeg , May 14, 2009
May 15, al-Shabaab fighters attacked the town of Mahas, of which they had lost control of two days earlier. The fighting was between al-Shabaab and pro-government group Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaah, which had fought al-Shabaab in January for control of Galgudug. Four people were killed in the fighting and hundreds of civilians fled the town, also its telecommunication was cut off. Fighting also broke out in the village Wabho, in the Elbur district of Galgudug, between the same two groups.allafrica , May 15, 2009 Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaah won the battle for Wabho, which left five people dead., May 16, 2009 On the same day, Sheikh Abdirahman Ibrahim Ma'ow, the chairman of the ICU administration in Hiran said he would take steps to settle tensions in the region. However, fighting still continued after this.allafrica , May 15, 2009
May 16, in Beledweyn, Hiraan's capital, the governor: Sheikh Abdirahman Ibrahim Ma'ow was targeted by two roadside bombs but survived the blast. Tension was high in the town as ICU fighters roamed the city streets and security was tightened, two suspects were arrested.allafrica , May 16, 2009 One civilian was killed and two civilians and one ICU militant were injured when al-Shabaab forces threw grenades at ICU militants standing on guard on the Beledweyne Bridge. In response, the ICU stopped the flow of traffic and conducted search operations.allafrica , May 16, 2009 In total, 68 people were killed in the fighting on May 15 and 16. The government claimed they had killed 47 al-Shabaab fighters, including a white man in Mahas and Wabho.Yahoo , May 16, 2009
On May 17, there were major battles in Jowhar and in Garsale village. Al-Shabaab took control of the key town of Jowhar, which is the capital of Shabeellaha Dhexe. It has an important strategic location as the road that links Mogadishu to the central region passes through it. The fighting in the city left three ICU militants dead, in a 20-minute battle, whereafter ICU and other pro-government militia fled the city and hundreds of al-Shabaab fighters entered it. This was seen as a major victory for al-Shabaab.allafrica , May 17, 2009Boston Herald , May 17, 2009 Fighting in Mahas (in Hiraan) killed at least 17 people, while fighting in El Bur (in Galgudug) killed 16 people, the wounded were transported to hospitals in Grui El and Beledweyn. Meanwhile, al-Shabaab started sending forces from Mogadishu (where there was a major battle from May 7 to 14) and Bal'ad (a district between Mogadishu and Jowhar) into Hiraan and Shabelle Dheexe as reinforcements.allafrica , May 17, 2009
May 18, at least seven people, three al-Shabaab fighters and four civilians were killed in the village of Ayne after pro-government militants ambushed an al-Shabaab convoy which was transporting fighters from Bulo Burte to Mahas. Due to the ambush, the convoy was forced to head back to their base in Bulo Burte.allafrica , May 18, 2009 A battle broke out for the village of Ceyn, three people were killed in the fighting.allafrica , May 18, 2009 Meanwhile, Hizbul Islam captured another key, strategic town, named Mahaday, which lies some 23 km north of previously captured Jowhar, the capital of Shabelleh Dheexe. The seizure of Mahaday is a big blow to the government as three out of four districts in Shabelle Dheexe (Middle Shabelle) had now fallen in the hands of al-Shabaab which already controls Shabeellaha Hoose (lower Shabelle), previously the government controlled all of Shabelle Dheexe.allafrica , May 18, 2009
May 19, al-Shabaab rebels attacked an ICU base near Jowhar, were forces who were rooted out of Jowhar, were now stationed. Both sides used heavy weapons but no casualties were reported.allafrica , May 20, 2009 Meanwhile, al-Shabaab raided UN offices in Jowhar, taking the equipment which was left behind when the UN evacuated the compounds before the al-Shabaab takeover.allafrica , May 19, 2009 In the North of Hiraan, Ethiopian forces entered the country with 18 military trucks and set up a base at the strategic Kala-Beyr junction.allafrica , May 19, 2009
May 20, 3 combatants were killed as ICU fighters attacked the town of Mahaday (In Shabelleh Dhexe, North of Jowhar), held by Hizbul Islam rebels. Hizbul Islam also killed 1 civilian, for unknown reasons.allafrica , May 21, 2009 This day, al-Shabaab formed a new Islamic administration in Jowhar, capital of Shabelleh Dhexe and hometown of Sheikh Sharif Ahmed. Al-Shabaab commander, Sheikh Abdirahman Hassan Hussein was appointed the new governor of Shabelleh Dhexe.allafrica , May 20 Due to the ongoing fighting in the region, Beledweyn's mayor: Sheikh Aden Omar ("Jilibay"), resigned.allafrica , May 21, 2009
May 24, the deputy commander of the ICU forces in Hiran: Abdirahman Farah Dirow was killed and commander of the Islamic Courts Union in Hiran: Ahmed Osman Abdalla "Inji" was injured in a car crash.allafrica , May 24, 2009
May 26, heavy fighting occurred in near Mahaday between al-Shabaab and government fighters. Sheikh Dahir Addow Alasow, the ICU governor of Middle Shabelle claimed his forces had "achieved success", while Sheikh Abdirahman Hassan Hussein, the al-Shabaab governor of Middle Shabelle said his forces were successful and that they had killed 5 ICU militants and captured one ICU battlewagon.allafrica , May 26, 2009
May 27, Sheikh Mo'alin Dahir Adow Alasow said the ICU was preparing for a massive offensive to re-take the Middle Shabelle region from al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam.allafrica , May 27, 2009
May 28, Col. Omar Hashi Aden, who is Somalia's security minister, was attacked by insurgents when he came back from his visit to Ethiopia. His convoy was attacked while traveling through Hiraan region. Col. Hashi was unharmed however 1 guard was killed and 1 wounded.allafrica , May 28, 2009
June 1, Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a imposed curfew in Guriel, an important town in Galgudug.allafrica , June 1, 2009 Also al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam launched a joint offensive against government forces in Magurto Village, which is near Mahaday, a town under rebel control.allafrica , June 1, 2009
June 4, government forces re-captured the town of Mahaday in Middle Shabelle. No casualties were reported and no comments were given by Hizbul Islam, which took control of the town on May 20.allafrica , June 4, 2009
June 5, Heavy fighting broke out again in Wabho between al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam on one side and Ahlu Sunna Walja'a at the other side. Hizbul Islam spokesman Sheikh Muse Abdi Arale reported that they had captured the town which was previously under control of Ahlu Sunna Walja'a. Independent sources confirmed the fighting has stopped (thus indicating that one side had won) but there were no independent reports on who now controlled the town.allafrica , June 5, 2009 40 people were killed and 60 were injured, these casualties include rebels, militants and civilians. Initially Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a also claimed victory for the fighting.allafrica , June 6, 2009 Later Ahlu Sunna Waljamaa's deputy information secretary, Sharif Ali Ahmed, claimed they had injured Hizbul Islam's chairman (and leader of the ARS) Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys and killed the group's vice-chairman (and leader of the Ras Kamboni Brigades) Hassan Turki. These claims were denied by Hizbul Islam Spokesman: Sheikh Hassan Mahdi.allafrica , June 7, 2009 Initially Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a spokesman Aden Abdi Nur claimed that they had killed him but after Sheikh Aweys contacted the media to confirm he was alive they said he was injured. Sheikh Mahdi however stated that Sheikh Aweys isn't injured either, and was, in fact, never present at the battle as he is in Mogadishu., June 7, 2009Voice of America , June 7, 2009 On June 7 at last it was confirmed that rebels had won the battle and seized control of Wabho. Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a militia commanders declined to comment.allafrica , June 7, 2009 31 Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a and 24 al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam fighters were killed during this battle.
On the same day there were also clashes in Hiraan's capital: Beledweyn, were an explosion in left 2 dead and 4 injured. Sheikh Abdi Osman ("Qorey"), a spokesman for Hizbul Islam, claimed that ICU forces were behind the explosion.allafrica , June 5, 2009 Later armed clashes broke out were in 3 people were injured. Hizbul Islam controls the west side of the town and the ICU controls the east side.allafrica , June 8, 2009
On June 12 and June 13, Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a carried out security operations in Abud wak.allafrica , June 13, 2009
June 28, fresh fighting started in El Baraf, a village in Mahaday district of the Middle Shabelle region. ICU forced attacked the al-Shabaab held village but failed to take it over, there were casualties at both sides.allafrica , June 28, 2009
June 29 an explosion in Beledweyn near the al-Aqsa school left 1 civilian injured. It is unknown which group was behind this attack.allafrica , June 29, 2009
July 4, Sheikh Abdinasir Jalil, a former commander of the training for ICU administration in Beledweyn town joined Hizbul Islam with his men and vowed to fight TFG forces in the city and attack Ethiopian forces in El-gal village, which lies 18 km from Beledweyn. He said that the government officials want to bring Ethiopian troops inside town and that is the reason they switched sides. Former ICU officials who joined Hizbul Islam, held a press conference and announced that the ICU administration in Hiraan had collapsed as they joined the insurgents.allafrica , July 5, 2009 Sheikh Ibrahim Yusuf, top security commander in Beledweyn also defected along with his forces. General Muktar Hussein Afrah was sent to Beledweyn along with TFG troops and put in charge there by the TFG as the ICU administration had collapsed.allafrica , July 5, 2009 Many ICU officials including MPs resigned that day, next to Sheikh Abdinasir Jalil Ahmed (head of training) and Sheikh Ibrahim Yusuf (head of security), also Sheikh Osman Abdulle Barqadle, the army commander of Ugas Khalif airport, and Sheikh Abdullahi Garamgaram, the deputy chief of the emergency forces, resigned.allafrica , July 5, 2009
In response, TFG forces led by general Muktar Hussein Afrah started military manoeuvers in the East side of the city.allafrica , July 4, 2009
July 17, Islamist forces attacked Galshire station in the neighborhood of October and Bunda-weyn in the city of Beledweyn. Four civilians were injured by the fighting. The city of Beledweyn remains divided as Islamist Insurgents control the cities West side and pro-government forces control the cities East side.allafrica , July 17, 2009