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Islamist insurgency in Somalia (2007–present)
Part of the Somali Civil War
Date January 12, 2007 – ongoing Location Southern Somalia (mainly Mogadishu) Result Ongoing Conflict Emergence of Islamist insurgency by the Muqaawama Re-emergence of inter-clan fighting
Belligerents
File:Icu flag.svg Popular Resistance Movement in the Land of the Two Migrations File:Icu flag.svg Muqaawama File:Somalia Islamic Courts Flag.svg Shabbab Anti-TFG Militias Alleged: Foreign Mujahideen al-Qaeda	Ethiopia TFG Forces AMISOM Puntland
Commanders and leaders
File:Icu flag.svg Sheikh Abdikadir File:Icu flag.svg Mohamed Bilal File:Somalia Islamic Courts Flag.svg Adan Ayrow	Abdi Qeybdiid General Gabre Levi Karuhanga Adde Musa
Strength
3,000–3,500 militia	10,000 militia 3-5,000 Ethiopian infantry 8,000 AU peacekeepers
Casualties and losses
200+ killed	60+ killed
1,100+ civilians killed

The Islamist insurgency in Somalia, properly known as the Muqaawama (meaning resistance), is a continuation of the conflict between the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and the Somalian Transitional Federal Government and their Ethiopia allies. The decision to switch from Conventional warfare to Asymmetric warfare was a deliberate decision taken by the ICU leadership, faced with defeat on the battlefield. (See 2006–2007 war in Somalia).

Ugandan peacekeepers under African Union Mission to Somalia were originally subject to attacks from insurgent groups as well, but quickly made agreements with the insurgents that they would not take part in the fighting. Since then, the Ugandans have largely become spectators to the conflict.

2007

During January 2007, many attacks took place, mostly in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. There has been wide spread violence in Mogadishu as Islamist insurgents began hit and run attacks in the city on the positions of the government forces at night causing human casualties.

On February 18, 2007 Mogadishu witnessed its first car bomb, with four fatalities.

On February 20, a series of mortar attacks left 16 dead and 42 wounded. The total wounded in mortar attacks in the capital since the beginning of the insurgency exceeded 90.

On March 21, 2007 insurgents attacked troops in Shirkole, Mogadishu. Civilians drag soldiers' bodies through Mogadishu, in the first such fighting since the end of the invasion. At least 22 people were killed including 9 TFG soldiers and one Ethiopian and 65 people are wounded. A truce was found by the end of the day but fighting continued six days later.

On March 22, at least 10 soldiers of Puntland have been killed and 6 others were wounded in an ambush attack that took place in Adado town of Galgadud region in central Somalia.

On March 23, a cargo plane was shot down, killing 11.

On March 27, heavy street battles are renewed in Mogadishu.

On March 29, in heavy fighting at least 15 Ethiopian military personnel have been killed and others more were wounded in Mogadishu.

On March 30, 2007, an Ethiopian helicopter, thought to be an Mi-24 Hind, was downed by suspected missile fire near the Mogadishu airport. The Ugandan contingent of the AU mission to Somalia claimed to have recovered the wreckage, including the bodies of two Ethiopian soldiers.

On March 31, a Ugandan soldier was killed by artillery in Mogadishu in the first death reported by African peacekeepers in the Somali capital.

On April 1, it was reported that the death toll of the previous four days of heavy fighting in the capital is at least 849 killed civilians, 200 insurgents and 36 Ethiopian soldiers along with the one Ugandan soldier, for a total of 1,086 dead.

On May 17, a roadside bomb in the capital killed four and wounded five Ugandan soldiers.

On August 1, four Ethiopian soldiers were killed after their base close to the volatile Somali capital Mogadishu came under rocket and machine-gun attack from Islamists. Also six people are killed by a remote controlled bomb in Mogadishu.

On August 10, heavily armed insurgents attacked a military base and a police station with mortars and heavy machine guns. At least three civilians died.

See also

• Taliban insurgency
• Iraqi insurgency

References

1. "Ethiopian soldier dies in Somalia". BBC. 2006-01-27. Retrieved 2007-01-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. "Somalia: Mogadishu indulges turmoil". SomaliNet. 2007-01-28. Retrieved 2007-02-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
3. "Somalia: Car blast kills four in Mogadishu". SomaliNet. 2007-02-18. Retrieved 2007-02-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
4. "Sixteen killed as mortar blasts hit Mogadishu". Reuters. 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2007-02-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
5. "Somalia: Mogadishu mortar exchanges wound 42--Hospital sources say". Shabelle Media Network. 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2007-02-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
6. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6509729.stm
7. http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/88568.html

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