Battle of Baidoa

Part of the War in Somalia (2006–2009)

Date	December 20–26, 2006
Location	Bay, Somalia
Result	Decisive Ethiopian/TFG Victory

Belligerents

Islamic Courts Union

Pro-Islamist Militias
Foreign fighters

Transitional Federal Government

Ethiopia

Strength

5,000+ Islamist militia

3,000+ TFG militia,
5,000+ Ethiopian soldiers

Casualties and losses

1,000 Somali Islamists dead
800+ wounded

400 killed(Islamists claim)

The Battle of Baidoa began on December 20, 2006 when the Somali Transitional Federal Government's forces (TFG) allied with Ethiopian forces stationed there attacked advancing Islamic Courts Union (ICU) forces along with 500 alleged Eritrean troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.

The battle began with most reports hourly depicting the government forces defecting and its position on the verge of collapse. The TFG, along with its allies in the Juba Valley Alliance (JVA), had certainly been on the retreat since the June offensives of the ICU. By the opening of the battle in December, Baidoa was invested with attacks coming in at least three directions.

Strong Ethiopian reinforcements rapidly changed the battle from one in which the TFG was on the defensive, through a strong series of counterattacks, to an Ethiopian/TFG decisive victory. Ethiopian armor, artillery, and air forces proved instrumental against the ICU's militia-based army.

On December 20, heavy shooting broke out between Somali government troops and Islamists 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Baidoa where the Islamists claimed to have taken the government's military base in Daynuunay. The conflict thereafter moved north to the Islamist stronghold in Moode Moode Heavy weapons, including artillery, rockets and mortars were involved. Initial claims of casualties in this area were at least ten dead ICU militiamen and forty TFG soldiers wounded. Later claims of ICU casualties by the TFG were 71 Islamic soldiers dead and 221 injured, including two dead foreign fighters. The TFG claimed its own casualties were 3 dead and 7 wounded while the ICU claimed to have killed 7 government soldiers.

Fighting was reported on many fronts around the capital in Iidale village (55 km south of Baidoa), Buulo Jadid (23 km north of Baidoa, also spelled Bullo Jadid), and Manaas (30 km southwest of Baidoa). One TFG death and numerous injured civilians were reported in Iidale. A later report raised the casualties to three soldiers killed and two injured. Thirteen trucks filled with Ethiopian reinforcements were reported en route to the fighting.

An AFP report mentioned the TFG claimed the attack on Iidale was led by Abu Taha al-Sudan, who is "wanted by Washington for carrying out attacks against its embassies in east Africa in 1998 and against an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya in 2002."

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Wikipedia