Battle of South Mogadishu

Battle of South Mogadishu Part of the War in Somalia (2009–) The battle occurred in the Somali capital of Mogadishu Date February 24–25, 2009 Location Mogadishu, Somalia Result Indecisive Belligerents Al-Shabaab Hisbi Islam[1] ARS-D-TFG coalition Commanders and leaders Abu Mansur Omar Iman Sharif Ahmed Casualties and losses 15 insurgents killed 6 TFG policemen KIA 48 civilians killed

War in Somalia (2009–present) Battles South Mogadishu Mogadishu (2009) Central Somalia Wabho Kismayo (2009) Beledweyne Ayn Kenyan border Galgala Mogadishu (2010–2011) Gedo Lower Juba Operation Linda Nchi Kismayo (2012) Yurkud Bulo Marer Operation Indian Ocean Leego Janale El Adde Major bombings Mogadishu AU base (2009) Beledweyne (2009) Mogadishu Bakaara Market (2010) Kampala (2010) Mogadishu (2011) Villa Somalia (2014) Buloburde (2014) Mogadishu Central Hotel (2015) Mogadishu Makka al-Mukarama (2015) Garowe (2015) Mogadishu Ministry of Education (2015) Baidoa (2015) Mogadishu Jazeera Palace (2015) Lido Beach (2016) Mogadishu SYL (February 2016) Daallo Airlines Flight 159 2nd Baidoa (2016) Mogadishu hotel bombings (2016) Galkayo (2016) Mogadishu SYL (August 2016) Mogadishu (November 2016) Chronology 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

The Battle of South Mogadishu occurred in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on February 24, 2009. A campaign fought as part of the War in Somalia (2009–), it left at least 87 people dead and 90 more injured during what the BBC described as "the fiercest fighting in the Somali capital Mogadishu since a new president was elected last month" (January 2009).^[2] The battle was fought mainly in the south of the city.^[2] Rebels fired volleys of mortar bombs at the presidential palace, located on a hilltop in the Wardhigley district.^[2][3] A base for African Union and government troops in the Hodan district was also fired upon as was the nearby Howlwadag district.^[2] The recently elected President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was said to be within his palace at the time of the incident.^[2]

However, it was mainly civilians who were dislodged by the battle, experiencing the exchange of heavy machine gun fire.^[2] Abdirizak Mohamed, a Somali resident, said: "A mother and her baby died after a shell landed on their house. Their flesh was so mangled we did not know what to carry."^[2][3] At least 11 civilians were amongst the dead, with workers at the main Madena Hospital indicating that at one stage approximately 45 wounded had been admitted. Dahir Dheere, a doctor at the hospital, said "More injured people are being brought to us as the fighting is still going on."^[3] 15 Al-Shabab and Hizbi Islam fighters and 6 Transitional Federal Government Policemen were killed in the fighting.

See also

• Somali Civil War
• War in Somalia (2006–2009)
• Battle of Mogadishu (1993)
• Battle of Mogadishu (2006)
• Fall of Mogadishu (2006)
• Battle of Mogadishu (March–April 2007)
• Battle of Mogadishu (November 2007)
• Battle of Mogadishu (2008)
• Battle of Mogadishu (2009)
• Battle of Mogadishu (2010–11)

References