Battle of Bandiradley
Part of the War in Somalia (2006–2009)

(click to expand)
DateDecember 23–25, 2006
Location
Bandiradley, Somalia
6°28′51″N 46°56′46″E / 6.48083°N 46.94611°E / 6.48083; 46.94611
Result Ethiopian/Galmudug victory
Belligerents
Islamic Courts Union  Ethiopia
 Galmudug
Commanders and leaders
Mohamed Mohamud Agaweine[1] Galmudug:Col. Abdi Qeybdid[2]
Strength
N/A 500+
Casualties and losses
N/A 1 helicopter gunship
Battle of Bandiradley is located in Somalia
Battle of Bandiradley
Location within Somalia
Battle of Bandiradley is located in Africa
Battle of Bandiradley
Battle of Bandiradley (Africa)

The Battle of Bandiradley in Somalia began on December 23, 2006, when Galmudug and Ethiopian forces, along with faction leader Abdi Qeybdid, fought Islamic Courts Union (ICU) militants defending Bandiradley. The fighting pushed the Islamists out of Bandiradley and over the border south into Adado district, Galgadud region, by December 25.[2]

Background

Somali Civil War

The battle has roots in the long-standing Somali Civil War. The areas of Galgudud and Mudug were drawn into the conflict arising between the state of Puntland, and the areas coming under the control of the ICU. While local leaders tried to organize into the autonomous state of Galmudug, over time it was forced to side with the forces of Puntland and Ethiopia in order to repel the ICU.

Prior Ethiopian interventions in the area

The borders of Galgadud and Mudug regions were under dispute with Ethiopia following the August 1982 border clashes. The towns of Balanbale and Goldogob had been under Ethiopian occupation from that time up until June 1988 when all troops were to pull back 9 miles from the disputed borders, and Ethiopia granted back the towns to Somalia.[3]

On March 7–8, 1999, Ethiopia claimed it had made a cross-border incursion into Balanbale searching for members of Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya (AIAI) who had reportedly kidnapped a person and stolen medical supplies, and denied reports of looting. Allegations from that time also claim Ethiopia was the supplier of various Somali warlords, while Eritrea was arming other warlords.[4][5]

Prelude to battle

On August 14, 2006, local tribal leaders as well as wishing autonomy from the state of Galmudug, organized Ethio-Puntland Militias and put Abdi Qeybdid in charge of them. [6]

On November 12, the ICU took the town of Bandiradley.[7]

On November 13, Abdi Qaybdid led 50 battlewagons to Galkayo to confront the Islamists.[8]

On November 22, Ethiopia imposed a curfew on the town of Balanbale and was searching residents entering or leaving the village.[9]

On November 25 Ethiopian forces fired missiles at the Islamic Courts Union.[10]

On November 26, thousands of ICU troops were reported deploying in Abudwaq, within 15 km (9.3 mi) of the Ethiopian border.[1]

On November 28, Ethiopian forces in the Galkayo, Mudug area were estimated to be about 500-strong, with over 100 vehicles including tanks. There was an exchange of gunfire and missiles. Afterwards, the ICU held a rally in Bandiradley, at which ICU chairman Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed accused the Ethiopians of firing 12 missiles at the Islamic Courts Union.[11]

On December 1, in Galkayo, it was reported 9 clerics of the Islamic Tabliq sect had been arrested under the orders of Colonel Abdi Qeybdiid.[12]

On December 7–8, the militia of warlord Abdi Qeybdid took part in skirmishes against forces of the ICU near the small settlement of Sadeh Higlo between Bandiradley and Galkayo.[13] This rapidly led to an exchange of shelling between Ethiopian and ICU troops.

Hundreds of Ethiopian troops and tanks took up positions near Bandiradley with militiamen from the northeastern semi-autonomous region of Puntland. Puntland forces claimed they had been provoked by rocket and mortar fire. ICU forces stated Ethiopian troops "started firing missiles toward our positions." At least one ICU fighter was killed in the exchange.[14]

On the same day hundreds of Ethiopian troops also took up position near Dinsor, a town nearly 1000 km south of Bandiradley and the ICU held a rally of over 5,000 people in Mogadishu to protest the UN decision to send a peacekeeping force to Somalia[14]

On December 16, it was reported a local Islamic court named Imamu Shahfici was set up in Abudwaq. It urged Islamists to resist the Ethiopians[15]

Further combat was kept in abeyance until the general outbreak of hostilities on December 20.

On December 19, 18 technicals and a large number of Ethiopian troops entered Balanbale, Galguduud region, to reinforce troops already positioned in the town.[16]

Just prior to the battle, on December 22, Ethiopian troops departed Balanbale where they had been in occupation for the past three months. This was reportedly done at the urging of the tribal elders, who did not wish fighting to break out between the ICU and Ethiopia in their town.[17]

On December 22, Ethiopian troops were said to be amassing in Galkayo for what might turn into a second front of the war near Puntland.[18]

Battle

The following day, 500 Ethiopian troops and 8 tanks were reported to be heading towards Bandiradley.[19] Islamist fighters retreated from their positions. They were pursued south to the area between Galinsoor and Bandiradley, where the Islamists were defeated.[20] The ICU forces were further pursued to Adado in Galguduud, which they abandoned late on December 25, 2006.

Aftermath

The ICU abandoned the towns of Dhuusamareb[21] and Abudwaq without fighting. In the wake of their withdrawal from Abudwaq, militias set up checkpoints and began firing their weapons.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 Somali Islamists deploys troops near Ethiopian border Archived 2020-11-16 at the Wayback Machine Sudan Times
  2. 1 2 "Somalia: Islamist fighters and Ethiopian backed militias clash in Bandiradley". www.shabelle.net. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ↑ Somalia cedes, Eritrea fights Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Financial Journalist
  4. ↑ ETHIOPIA-SOMALIA: Ethiopia denies looting Somali border town IRIN
  5. ↑ Somalia - Emerging Third Front in the Ethiopia-Eritrea War? Stratfor
  6. ↑ Somalia's Conflict Enters a Phase of Duress BY Michael A. Weinstein Archived November 6, 2006, at the Wayback Machine PINR
  7. ↑ Somalia in mid-November: Sparring and Waiting for Someone to Strike Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine PINR
  8. ↑ Somalia: Puntland president deploys 50 battlewagons in Galkayo to avert Islamist fighters[usurped] Shabelle Media Network
  9. ↑ Ethiopian troops impose curfew on a Somali town[usurped]
  10. ↑ "Islamists ambush Ethiopian truck". BBC. 30 November 2006.
  11. ↑ Somalia: Troop movements in Mudug region Garowe Online
  12. ↑ Somalia: Islamist preachers arrested in Galkaayo city SomaliSpot Archived 2015-11-30 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ Somalia: Islamist fighters and Ethiopian backed militias clash in Bandiradley[usurped] Shabelle Media Network
  14. 1 2 Fresh fighting erupts in Somalia Archived 2007-01-06 at the Wayback Machine Al Jezeera
  15. ↑ Somalia’s Islamists in central Somalia urge people to fight with Ethiopia[usurped] Shabelle Media Network
  16. ↑ Fresh Ethiopian troops enter Somalia’s Ballanballe area SomaliSpot Archived 2015-11-30 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ↑ Somalia: Ethiopian troops leave Ballanballe[usurped] Shabelle Media Network
  18. ↑ Ethiopian tanks roll towards battlefront Reuters
  19. ↑ Ethiopia edges closer to Somalia invasion Archived January 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine The Independent
  20. ↑ Somalia: Islamist militia pushed further south of Puntland Garowe Online
  21. ↑ Ethiopian troops returning warlords to power in Somalia Archived January 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Garowe Online
  22. ↑ Somalia: Insecurity rages in Islamist abandoned areas[usurped] Shabelle Media Networks
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