The Battle of Mogadishu (2010–11) began on 23 August 2010 when al-Shabaab insurgents began attacking government and African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) positions in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Al-Shabaab began its offensive after its spokesman said the group was declaring a "massive war" on troops sent by AMISOM, describing its 6,000 peacekeepers as "invaders". In December 2010 the number of AMISOM troops was increased to 8,000 and later to 9,000. The battle's name usually includes the years, when referenced, in order to distinguish it amongst the nine major Battles of Mogadishu during the decades long Somali Civil War.
Background
Al-Shabaab had previously declared a "massive" war against the internationally backed Transitional Federal Government and AMISOM troop "invaders." On 11 July 2010 they attacked Kampala, Uganda in revenge for the country's support of African Union troops in Somalia.
The attacks took place as hundreds of additional Ugandan troops arrived in the country.
Fighting
2010
August: Ramadan Offensive
Forty people were reportedly killed and more than one hundred injured in the violence that began on 23 August. After that, fighting continued and the next day, when several al-Shabaab militants, disguised as government workers, launched an attack on the Muna Hotel, a hotel known for hosting many Somali government officials and politicians, the hotel was located a kilometre away from the presidential palace Villa Somalia. Thirty one people were reported killed in the hotel incident, including eleven lawmakers.
By 26 August, one-hundred fifteen people had been killed and two hundred had been wounded and hundreds of people were reported to have fled the city. Both sides claimed advances with Mujahideen fighters making new bases in the areas they had captured; however, a police spokesman denied al-Shabaab claims that government troops were losing territory in the city. The next day, al-Shabaab said it had called eleven truckloads of reinforcements to take over the capital Mogadishu after a week-long battle. The government again, however, continued to deny claims that al-Shabaab was gaining any ground.
On 30 August, fighting was renewed when al-Shabaab fighters attempted to take a government barracks around Sigale in the capital's Hodan neighbourhood. The ensuring action left six confirmed dead and sixteen wounded and by the end of the month UPI reported that a mortar attack by al-Shabaab killed four Ugandan peacekeepers guarding the presidential palace in Mogadishu. A TFG spokesman. Barigye Ba-Hoku denied claims though by al-Shabaab that the group was close to capturing a road connecting the Palace to the Airport.
September
The first week of September started with at least nineteen people being killed in fresh fighting between Somali government forces and al-Shabaab. Almost 14,000 of the displaced people left Mogadishu by the fifth entirely as fighting continued, and by weeks end three more Somalis were killed and twenty-three wounded as five hundred shells pounded northern and southern parts of the capital. On 9 September al-Shabaab attacked Mogadishu's airport when a bomb exploded outside. A second vehicle full of militants then opened fire on the peacekeepers and Somali security forces, which left at least eight people killed (two of whom were peacekeeping force soldiers).
On 16 September at least eighteen civilians were killed in fighting between al-Shabaab and the government forces near the Bakaara Market. Fighting continued into 20 September with at least 10 more civilian casualties. On 20 September, Islamic militants seized two radio stations in the capital,
and a suicide bomber blew herself up at the gates of the presidential palace in Mogadishu, slightly injuring two soldiers.
Al-Shabaab launched a new offensive against government forces and AMISOM on 22 September. Nineteen civilians and twenty-four Islamists were killed, one soldier member of AMISOM was killed and two others wounded as a result. On 27 September al-Shabaab militants attacked the National Parliament building with mortars while a lawmakers' meeting was assembled. Government soldiers and African Union forces repelled the attack, however.
October
Between 5–6 October, at least fifteen people were killed and twenty-two others wounded in fighting in Mogadishu between insurgent forces and AMISOM. Most of the dead were civilians. However, on 7 October it was reported that AU troops had captured more territory and were expected to control half of the city by the end of the month. By 11–12 October, fifteen more people were killed in clashes as fighting continued. Organized by the city's local government on 24 October, hundreds of people rallied in the Somali government controlled part of Mogadishu to protest against the Islamist insurgency and call for peaceful resolution. By the end of the month, officials in Mogadishu claimed that they had the upper hand in six of the capital's 16 districts, but battling continued. Outside the capital, Ahlu Sunna wal Jamaa also made additional progress chasing al-Shabaab out of a few towns in the recent weeks. Al-Shabaab was reported to be continuing its terror tactics and smart guerrilla tactics.
November
On 1 November, at least twelve people were killed in a battle between government forces and Islamist militants. Three government soldiers were killed, with six wounded. Witnesses claim civilians were also killed during the battle.
The next day, Somalia's new prime minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed was sworn in as twenty-one more people were killed and thirty wounded, as allied TFG and African Union forces battled al-Shabaab insurgents. Mohamed was quoted as saying "I will uphold and protect the laws of the country and I will pursue the common interest of the people and the nation.".
By 11 November, twelve more people were killed and twenty-five others injured after an attack in Mogadishu's northern district of Boondheere and 18 November saw twenty-one more civilians killed from artillery shelling.
On 28 November, the president of Uganda Yoweri Museveni visited Mogadishu and urged the international community to provide more support for the government of Somalia. However, the next day at least fifteen people died and twenty-five injured after Islamist fighters attacked government positions in the northern part of the city.
December
The month began with more AMISOM troops being deployed on 2 December as more attacks continued, mostly in the northern part of the city. On 5 December, at least twelve more people and twenty others were wounded as a result of heavy artillery exchange in one of the city's northern districts. Fifteen additional people were killed between 10 and 11 December and on 15 December heavy fighting was reported as al-Shabaab tried to cut off Maka-Almukarama which is the only street in Mogadishu that the Somali government officials and the African Union troops use for their especial purposes.
On 20 December 2010, Hizbul Islam officially surrendered to al-Shabaab and the two organisations merged. As a result, al-Shabaab fighters started taking over Hizbul Islam positions, while Hizbul Islam fighters were allowed to enter al-Shabaab-controlled territories as well. On 23 December, the two sides formally declared unity in Mogadishu with a ceremony held in the Nasrudin mosque, which was attended by al-Shabaab's official spokesman Sheik Ali Mohamud Raghe and Sheik Abdifatah Mo'allin Mohamed, Hizbul Islam's head of information.
New fighting broke out on 25 December, killing at least two and injuring at least 25; the fighting happened as al-Shabaab declared it would increase its attacks after its merger with Hizbul Islam. Twenty-five more people were killed and thirty-two civilians were wounded in the fighting on 30 December.
2011
January
The new year opened up with a violent mutiny staged by government forces which resulted in three soldiers being killed and seven wounded over nonpayment of salaries. Nineteen people were also killed in clashes on 1 January as insurgents attacked bases of Somali government forces.
February – March: anti-insurgency offensive
On 19 February, AMISOM forces clashed with al-Shabaab in the Sigaale and El Hindi areas of Hawl Wadag district. The battle lasted for two days and reached a death toll of more than 20 people, including several foreign al-Shabaab fighters. The next day it was reported that AMISOM troops destroyed a large complex of al-Shabaab trenches, and killed six al-Shabaab commanders in Mogadishu. Two AMISOM troops were KIA.
AMISOM and TFG forces then advanced northwest into the Hodan district of Mogadishu. As a result, on 23 February, several strategic places were captured. This includes the former Defense Ministry that al-Shabaab used as a base and where they launched the attacks from during the Ramadan Offensive. Warshadda Aanaha (former Milk Factory) and sections of Industrial Road were also captured. At least 86 Somali soldiers, 8 AU soldiers, 70 al-Shabaab fighters and 45 civilians were killed during the battles.
A major explosion occurred on 21 February when a suicide car bomb detonated at a police post in the Hamar jajab district of Mogadishu. At least 20 people were killed, including TFG policemen and a woman.
During 25 February, AMISOM and TFG forces took over Mogadishu junction Florence (Hararyale), Ged Je'el in the street of Wadnaha and advanced to around 500 meters from Bakaara Market. Another trench system used by al-Shabaab was discovered and destroyed.
In February, over 50 AMISOM soldiers were killed by the insurgents.
As the offensive continued, it was reported on 5 March that up to 53 AMISOM members may have died in the clashes. Of those, 43 Burundian and 10 Ugandan.
Burundi announced on 12 March that they had deployed 1,000 extra soldiers to AMISOM over a two-day period, bringing the total Burundi contribution up to 4,400 soldiers.
On 16 March, Abdikadir Yusuf Aar a.k.a. Sheikh Qalbi, a senior al-Shabaab official serving as the group's leader in the Juba and Gedo regions was killed in Mogadishu.
May – June: Bakaara market offensive
Bakaara market has for several years been one of the main strongholds and sources of income (together with the port in Kismayo) for al-Shabaab. The market has been used for launching attacks and for shooting mortars towards AMISOM and TFG-controlled areas of Mogadishu. It has been hard to target al-Shabaab hiding within the market, as it is the largest in Somalia and packed with civilians.
On 12 May TFG, AMISOM and Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a launched an offensive towards Bakaara market. The goal of the offensive was to take control of Bakaara market located in the Hawl Wadag district of Mogadishu. It was part of a major offensive going on in several places in Somalia to take back those areas under al-Shabaab control.
Two days into the battle, on 14 May, the al-Shabaab commander of Bakaara market, Abdifatah Mahamed, was killed together with his intelligence officer Abdiwahab Sheik Dole.
On 15 May, heavy fighting occurred, causing more than 35 deaths, including al-Shabaab commander of Hawlwadag district Ali Burhan "Ayatuulah".
After four days of fighting TFG, AMISOM and Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a forces had advanced around 500 meters towards the market. The front line was on 16 May around 500–700 meters north and west of the market and 200 meters south of it. The areas seized from al-Shabaab included a former Sufi shrine that al-Shabaab used as a military base. In an attack on 16, 6 May Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a soldiers were killed in a mortar attack and 17 injured.
Heavy shelling hit the Bakaara Market on 14 May, resulting in at least 14 civilian deaths. Most of the civilians killed were women doing their shopping; as well as one child. Shelling continued on 20 May and in Saraha Boliska in the Wadajir district, 3 people were killed in another shelling incident and 6 were injured. Mortars also hit the Bulahubey neighborhood, injuring two people.
A major breakthrough happened on 22 May when most of the marked roads, including the Wadnaha road (National road), fell into the hands of TFG and AMISOM. During the fighting, 2 civilians, 4 AMISOM soldiers and 22 al-Shabaab fighters were killed. Al-Shabaab lost one of their top leaders in Mogadishu. Before being killed, Abu Hubeyda was coordinating the al-Shabaab attacks from Bakaara market.
As the AMISOM and TFG forces advanced, they captured the famous Red Mosque on 23 May.