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until 22 May, when the government launched a major offensive to retake the city, as Islamist forces had mostly withdrawn into the Central Region and the government was now backed by powerful warlord Indho Ade.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.
The battle
7 May 2009
The Battle started on 7 May, as pro-government Islamist forces and al-Shabaab militants fought over Mogadishu stadium.
8 May 2009
On 8 May both sides started amassing their forces in the city. 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.
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. 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. 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.
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. Hundreds of civilians fled the fighting in Yaqshid and Wardhigley districts this day. Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam were said to have taken control of many government bases and large parts of the city.
11 May 2009
11 May, Abdifatah Ibrahim Shaweye, the deputy governor of Banadir region said that his men had taken control of an Ex-control Afgoi checkpoint in Southern Mogadishu, from Islamist fighters. Ex-control Afgoi is a key checkpoint that connects the main road of Mogadishu to the town of Afgoi. Also Mortar shells were fired at the Presidential palace, but caused no casualties. Gunfire was also exchanged at the palace. Further the two sides clashed in the Wardhigley, Yaqshid (particularly at the Fagah intersection) and Hodan districts of the city. Insurgents also attacked Jalle Siyad Academy, a base of Burundian troops from AMISOM. 15 were killed when a mortar shell hit a mosque in Wardhigley. Rebels then made large gains, taking control of the ex-Defense Ministry building, Stadium Mogadishu and Wardhigley police station as ICU militiamen were forced to flee. Rebels also took control of Industry Road and 30th Avenue, the two most important roads in Mogadishu. Three journalists were injured as a shell fired by ICU militia hit a building where a press conference was being held by senior al-Shabaab commander: Ali Dheere, who was telling about the major gains their forces had made that day. Ali "Dheere" was among those who were wounded by the shelling. Sheikh Abubakar Sayli'i, the (al-Shabaab appointed) mayor of Kismayo said that the fighting in Mogadishu would not end until "the Mujahedeen have taken over Mogadishu", he also said that Islamists had sent weapons and fighters from Kismayo as reinforcements to Mogadishu. Casualties at this time hit 60 killed and 100 injured. Thousands of civilians fled the city this day, mostly in the Yaqshid district. Meanwhile, President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed said the government was making efforts to end the fighting.
12 May 2009
12 May, the civilian death toll hit 113, with 345 being injured. Also, 15 pro-government fighters and 19 foreign insurgents, 12 Pakistanis and seven Yemenis, had been killed. As al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam had taken control of key areas and roads in Southern Mogadishu and some areas in Northern Mogadishu. It was also reported that at least 27,500 people had fled their homes since 7 May. The displacement was said to be caused by indiscriminate shelling, as heavy shelling hit the city on 11 May. Meanwhile, reinforcements arrived from Kismayo as Hassan Turki, leader of the Ras Kamboni Brigades (which is now a part of Hizbul Islam) and a notorious militant commander in the Jubba regions arrived with reinforcements for Hizbul Islam, from Kisimayo.
13 May 2009
13 May, at least 11 people were injured in a gunbattle between ICU and al-Shabaab militants at 4 Jardin intersection, this sparked violence in the rest of Yaqshid. The fighting ended with al-Shabaab taking control of the contested areas. Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam militants attacked Villa Somalia, the presidential palace, with a force which came from outside the city. They failed to capture it, however they did manage to take control of almost all of the city, the government was still in control of only a few square kilometers of the city, which is defended by AMISOM peacekeepers. 10 people were killed and 76 injured, in the clashes at the palace.
Government soldiers attacked rebel positions near the Sinay intersection but they were defeated and rebels then took control of Suk Ba'ad, Mogadishu's second-largest market. During these clashes, at least eight people were killed and 20 injured. Government officials described the latest rounds of violence as a "failed coup" and vowed they would crush the opposition which they described as "Islamic gangs".
14 May 2009
14 May, heavy fighting broke out between al-Shabaab and TFG soldiers in the Sinaay and Jardinka areas in northern Mogadishu. Fighting continued around the presidential palace(in Wardhigley). Locals reported that AMISOM forces shelled buildings around it, which were being used by al-Shabaab to fire mortars at the palace. However, AU spokesman Barigye Ba-Hoku, denied any involvement in the fighting or shelling. A witness said 10 rebels and at least three government soldiers were killed during these clashes. Other reports say a toal of 10 people were killed in the fighint (including civilians) and 30 people were wounded, including two reporters. The Islamist rebels continued to make gains and the fighting started to spread to other districts, most notably, Kaaraan. In Yaqshid the fighting became so bad that the international medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières had to close down their outpatient clinic there to ensure its medical staff doesn't get caught in the cross-fire. Yaqshid was mostly deserted by the civilians. By the end of the day, calm returned to Mogadishu and roads were re-opened, the battle was over. This came as the fighting shifted to Hiraan. Due to government forces' poor performance, Somalia's top military commander, General Said Mohamed Hersi (better known as Said Dere) resigned. He was replaced by Yusuf Hussein Dumal.
15 May 2009
By 15 May, calm had returned to the city. Rebels had taken over most of the city, however they failed to topple the government, which remained in control of small pockets of the city. Though the rebel offensive was finished, they continued attacks on government and AMISOM peacekeepers, which they view as an occupation force.
17 May 2009
17 May, President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed visited a military academy and rebels fired mortar rounds at the academy. The mortars, however, missed their target and hit civilian homes, killing three and injuring 16 civilians. No group claimed responsibility. On the same day, Jima'ale Mohamud Nur ("Jebweyne"), deputy chairman of the Hawiye Clan traditional elders said they would try to mediate between the two sides to stop the fighting. Later in the day an accidental explosion of al-Shabaab explosives, killed 17 people including civilians and al-Shabaab fighters, at least 4 foreign fighters were among the dead. Al-Shabaab leader, Muktar Abdirahman ("Godane") was injured by the blast. Sheik Yusuf Mohamed Siad (Indho Ade), whose forces are in control of the former pasta factory, which was a key Ethiopian base until January 2009, defected the government with his militia, putting Sheikh Sharif Ahmed in a more powerful position.
20 May 2009
20 May, at least one civilian was killed and five people were injured after al-Shabaab attacked an AMISOM base. The gunfight lasted for two hours and both sides used heavy weapons such as heavy machine guns, mortars, and rockets. Meanwhile, the number of people displaced due to the fighting reached 45,000.
22 May 2009
On 22 May, pro-government forces attacked Islamist militants in Mogadishu. Among those killed in the fighting was a local journalist from Radio Shabelle. The offensive came as rebels had sent most of their forces into Central Somalia to take part in their offensive there. 53 people were killed and 181 were injured, though other sources report only 25 people killed and 90 injured, during the fighting in Mogadishu, on 22 May. Of those 53: 39 were civilians, three were government soldiers and the rest were presumed to be insurgents. Though government forces initially captured insurgent positions and even advanced to main al-Shabaab stronghold of the Bakara market, the fighting ended with Islamist insurgents taking back all lost territory. Colonel Farhan confirmed that government forces had been pushed out of captured positions but said the war wasn't over yet and they intended to re-take Mogadishu with force. Hizbul Islam spokesman Muse Arale claimed they had defeated the Djibouti group (the branch of the ARS which had joined the government) and that they were not in control of even more territory.
23 May 2009
By 23 May, insurgents had advanced to the presidential palace and they started shelling it, with government soldiers returning fire. Three civilians were killed and 13 people were injured by the shelling. Government forces also shelled the Bakara market, this day. Later in the day, calm returned to Mogadishu, the government offensive was over.
24 May 2009
24 May 10 people, including 6 soldiers, were killed and 9 people, including 4 soldiers, were injured in a suicide car bombing. The bomber tried to drive a Toyota packed with explosives into a military base, soldiers stopped him from entering and then he blew the car up. Government forces blamed the attack on foreign fighters. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack but denied the bomber was a foreigner.
26 May 2009
26 May, overnight Islamist rebel forces withdrew from Galbeed police station in Derkenley district. Soon government forces were deployed in Derkenley and they started a military manoeuver there. They also stationed forces South of an al-Shabaab base in Medina. The flow of traffic was halted as tensions are high in Medina and Derkenley and civilians feared for another round of fighting. The reason for the withdrawal is unknown, also there was no word on this by the rebels or the government, it was reported by local residents who informed Shabelle radio. Mortars were launched at the presidential place, killing 2 members of government forces and 5 civilians. Seven people, including insurgents were injured when government forces returned fire.
28 May 2009
28 May, a handgrenade was thrown at a government, military base in Dharkaynley district. No group claimed responsibility and no casualties were reported.