2008 Battle of Beledweyne

Battle between Ethiopia and Somali terrorists June 2013 Battle of Beledweyne (2008) the War in Somalia (2006–2009) July 1–26, 2008 Beledweyne, Somalia Al-Shabaab victory AQMI Flag asymmetric.svg Al-Shabaab Ethiopia 1996 35 killed (media report)http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6617&tirsan=3 Somalia: Battle in central region kills 35 Islamists, 47 Ethiopian soldiers-witnes July 3, 2008 July 14, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110714033559/http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6617&tirsan=3 dead Garowe Online – Home https://web.archive.org/web/20080727180651/http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Death_toll_from_two_days_of_fighting_in_central_Somalia_hits_28.shtml July 27, 2008 71 killed (Ethiopian claim)VOA News – Ethiopia Says Troops Killed 71 Islamists in Somalia https://web.archive.org/web/20080709122556/http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-07-04-voa31.cfm July 9, 2008 50 killedhttp://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/13_killed_in_central_Somalia_battles.shtml 13 killed in central Somalia battles 2008-08-17 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080915141730/http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/13_killed_in_central_Somalia_battles.shtml September 15, 2008 mdy UnknownOctober 2016 InternetArchiveBot yes 22 civilians killedAl Jazeera English – Africa – Dozens dead in Somalia clashes The Battle of Beledweyne took place in July 2008. It began on July 1, when Islamic militants from al-Shabaab attacked Ethiopian soldiers in the town of Beledweyne, Somalia, which was defended by a garrison of Ethiopian troops.November 2020 Background At the beginning of June 2008 Islamist forces started taking whole districts across central parts of Somalia. In the Bay region, northwest of Mogadishu, al-Shabaab insurgents entered the district of Qansah-Dheere on June 7, 2008, and took control without facing any resistance. Residents said there were no government troops present when the insurgents arrived.2008 timeline of the War in Somalia#JuneFebruary 2022 On June 23, Islamist forces captured Bardale, entirely encircling Baidoa and cutting off the highway to Dolo. The next day, Islamist forces established control of Bardhere unopposed, signaling a definitive shift of Marehan clan affiliation solidly into the Islamist column. After that, on June 28, 2008, Islamist forces peacefully retook the strategic city of Beledweyne after the Ethiopian garrison withdrew from the area. Some looting of government facilities occurred, but Islamist commanders called on locals to return stolen property and uphold the peace. Some heavy fighting however did occur at the town of Guguriel, which is where the Ethiopians had withdrawn to after vacating Beledweyne.February 2022 The battle The fighting started July 1, 2008, when Somali opposition fighters ambushed an Ethiopian Army convoy travelling from Guguriel in retreat toward the Ethiopian border. The fighting in the Mataban area left 47 Ethiopian soldiers and 35 Islamist fighters dead. Three Ethiopian military vehicles were destroyed and two captured by the insurgents. Eleven of the dead Ethiopians were senior and junior officers. Ethiopian troops withdrew to Ferfer across the border. As for the civilian casualties of the Mataban battle, it was confirmed that a child was among those killed. On July 3, Ethiopian troops commenced a counter-attack over the border against the insurgents in an attempt to retake Beledweyne. An Ethiopian column supported by tanks and artillery drove southeast from Ferfer and engaged al-Shabaab forces in Elgal in the mountainous northwestern outskirts of Beledweyn. The Ethiopian force pounded Islamist positions heavily with ballistic missiles.http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6631&tirsan=3 somalia:Heavy fighting reported in central Somalia region Hiiraan July 3, 2008 July 14, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110714033611/http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6631&tirsan=3 dead Later in the day the Ethiopian force advanced to Jandkundisho, a suburb of Beledweyne, and continued to pound the hills surrounding Beledweyne, before digging into defensive positions outside Beledweyn.Ethiopian Troops at the Outskirts of Beled Weyne The battle resumed on July 5, when the Islamist and Ethiopian forces clashed in Bur-Gabo, a village between Ferfer and Beledweyn. Sheikh Abdirahim Isse declared the Islamist forces to be victorious, having destroyed 4 Ethiopian military vehicles and "huge losses" of Ethiopian soldiers.http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6657&tirsan=3 somalia-Islamists burn four Ethiopian troop's army vehicles in central Somalia July 7, 2008 July 14, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110714033702/http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6657&tirsan=3 dead On July 6, the residents of Beledweyne fled the town as the Ethiopian Army began building up their forces in Jandkundisho, conceivably in preparations for an attack on Beledweyne.http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6669&tirsan=3 Somalia: Residents flee central Somalia town For conflicts semblance July 7, 2008 July 14, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110714033719/http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6669&tirsan=3 dead On July 24, Ethiopian troops finally attacked the town. Seven civilians were killed and 12 others were wounded after artillery shells and bullets hit residential areas in Beledweyne as the troops moved in. Another seven civilians were shot dead near a bridge in the town by Ethiopian troops. Two more civilians were killed later in the day by shelling. By late that night most of the city had fallen into Ethiopian hands. However the Islamists were regrouping for a counter-attack. Sixteen civilians were killed by the end of the first day.Garowe Online – Home https://web.archive.org/web/20080804121036/http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Somalia_insurgents_resist_Ethiopia_army_s_push_into_key_town.shtml August 4, 2008 http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=7014&tirsan=3 Somalia-7 die in central Somalia’s heavy shelling-witnesses July 27, 2008 August 1, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080801010222/http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=7014&tirsan=3 dead http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=7031&tirsan=3&PHPSESSID=925c9b9c9efae17d339d51acf034dcad Somalia: Central Somali town calm following heavy fighting on July 24 July 27, 2008 July 14, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110714033841/http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=7031&tirsan=3&PHPSESSID=925c9b9c9efae17d339d51acf034dcad dead The next morning on July 25, fighting was still raging, as Islamist rebels sought to push out Ethiopian troops. At least 12 people were killed, including three civilians who died when an artillery shell hit their home on the western side of Beledweyne. Among the dead were at least three Ethiopian soldiers and four insurgents. This brought the toll in two days of fighting to 28 dead. The street battles finally died down by the end of the day with Ethiopian troops in control of the town. The subsequent day saw al-Shabaab launch a massed counter-attack against Ethiopian positions in Beledweyne. Utilizing artillery support the UIC succeeded in recapturing a key bridge in the central part of the town. During this renewed fighting much of the Beledweyne civilian population fled from their homes.Somalis flee town amid fighting Aftermath After the Ethiopians recaptured the northern part of the city fighting continued for months, with insurgents still in positions outside of the town.February 2022 There was a lull in the fighting, after the Ethiopian's victory, for the next three weeks until August 16, when insurgents attacked Ethiopian Army positions in the city which led to fighting that killed four Ethiopian soldiers and nine civilians. On September 11, renewed fighting in the city killed one more Ethiopian soldier and three civilians. By the end of November, under an agreement with the Islamists, Ethiopian troops finally withdrew from the city and returned to Ethiopia.http://hormoodnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4583&Itemid=34%E2%8C%A9=en HormoodNews https://web.archive.org/web/20120219084219/http://hormoodnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4583&Itemid=34%E2%8C%A9=en 2012-02-19 References Somalia Category:July 2008 in Ethiopia Category:July 2008 in Somalia Category:2008 in international relations Category:2008 murders in Somalia Category:21st-century mass murders in Somalia Category:Ambushes in Somalia Category:Battles in 2008 Category:Battles of the Somali Civil War involving Ethiopia Category:Battles of the War in Somalia (2006–2009) Category:Al-Shabaab (militant group) attacks in Beledweyne Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2008 Category:July 2008 crimes in Africa Category:Battles in Beledweyne Category:2008 mass murders Category:Terrorist incidents in Somalia in 2008 Category:Battles involving al-Shabaab (militant group) Category:Ethiopian war crimes in the Somali Civil War Category:Road incidents in Somalia Category:2008 road incidents