Islamic militia used new tactics to win Mogadishu

[The Arabman]

NAIROBI, June 7 (Reuters) - Islamic militias captured Mogadishu -- an anarchic city no single group could control for 15 years -- because of superior training, popular support and religious motivation, experts said on Wednesday.

The Islamic fighters, who fought an alliance of warlords widely believed to have been funded as part of the United States' counter-terrorism war, were also getting external assistance, according to a U.N. report.

The militia transformed the face of warfare on Mogadishu's battle-scarred streets, shifting away from the traditional haphazard, frenzied attacks made famous by the book and movie "Black Hawk Down".

"Increased military-style tactical training, massive popular support and the strength of commitment of ideological motivation -- as opposed to mercenary motivation -- means the Islamists were motivated to continue in the face of adversity," said a former military official who follows Somalia closely but declined to speak on the record.

In a typical fight in the anarchic capital, poorly-trained and paid gunmen clattered into battle en masse on the back of "technicals" -- pick-up trucks with heavy guns -- and blasted wildly with mortars, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).

But on several occasions over the three-month battle for the Somali capital, the Islamic side carried out night commando raids, attacked before dawn or fought through the night -- all rare tactics in Somalia, residents and experts said.

"If you've got military leaders, you can do that. The warlords are living in medieval times," said a Western diplomat who follows Somalia but whose job does not permit him to be quoted by name.

IMPROVED TACTICS The improved tactics may be explained by the presence of former military men in the top ranks of the Islamic side, chief among them Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, an ex-army colonel decorated for bravery during war with Ethiopia in 1977.

A May U.N. report on violations of a 1992 Security Council arms embargo on Somalia said Aweys had set up military training programmes for his militia since early 2005. The report also said Eritrea and Ethiopia shipped weapons to Somalia. Eritrea denied this but Ethiopia did not respond.

The warlords, who had divided the capital into rival fiefdoms with their private armies since ousting Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, are largely despised by ordinary citizens. In contrast, the Islamic courts were popular for restoring a semblance of order to parts of the violent and anarchic city.

The Islamic side was also credited with taking more care to avoid killing civilians, many of whom were hit by stray warlord mortars, residents said. "I think they were a bit more restrained in that respect and the result of that was an overwhelming popular support," the military expert said. Somalis say wealthy Islamic businessmen in the country provided most of the money for the militia, although diplomats suspect Somalis in the diaspora and foreign Arab businessmen have provided money as well. A protege of Aweys, Aden Hashi Ayro, was trained in Afghanistan -- many suspect by al Qaeda, though the Islamic militia denies any links to the group.

The warlords, who dubbed themselves a counter-terrorism alliance, said they were fighting to remove those elements from Somalia, some say in a cynical ploy to win U.S. funding. As result, many Somalis saw them as a puppet of the United States and its "war on terror", often seen by Muslims as an assault on Islam.

"I think we won because most of our fighters were fighting for the sake of Allah. They fought knowing they are defending Islam," Fuad Ahmed, an Islamist militiaman, told Reuters by phone from Mogadishu.

Source: http://www.banadir.com/new_tectics.htm

[AbdiWahab252]

Yeah, right.


They captured Suuqa Xoolaha by disguising themselves as civilians and riding on Buses.

Let them try their sh&t at Villa Somaliya, Sinka Dheer, Bar Ubax, or of course if they got ba_lls @ Afgoye's Control

[The Arabman]

"Let them try their sh&t at Villa Somaliya, Sinka Dheer, Bar Ubax, or of course if they got ba_lls @ Afgoye's Control"

I don't know about that, but from what I have read, the Islamic militias control 65-mile radius around the capital. That means they control the entire city of Mogadishu.

[Sir-Luggoyo]

Abdi Hutu,




Miskiin, have they dismantled your father's isbaaro? No income huh?!!!

[AbdiWahab252]

Jareer: The Toll Station remains open. We give Jareers a discount. Their shiir is an incentive to let them pass quickly.... ufff

[DawladSade]

Abdi-hutu Dacas already bowed down. They removed their isbaaro !

[Sir-Luggoyo]

Abdi Hutu,


Xaq haddii afka laga daboolo feedhuhuu ka dillaacaa, inkaartii Muslinkaa idinku dhacday inkaar Alla idinku ridye. Bilaasha looma dhihi Habar Gidir habaaraneey

You can get mad as much as you want, but I assure you NO MORE ISBAARO, shaqaysta iimaanka Alla idinka qaadye

[gurey25]

basic tactics, concentration on objectives and determination,

combined with abstinance from qaad, at least for a good number of the
mujahideen was the key to success.

[Gedo_Boy]

AbdiWahab252,

from what I understand the Sacads have already decided to work the Islamic Courts.


I guess the wadaads were reading the seera and learned how Khalid bin Waleed used to do pre-fajr raids on the enemy........

Just as the mercenaries' qaat is wearing off and they are in a stupor between sleep and wakefulness.

[The Arabman]

"I guess the wadaads were reading the seera and learned how Khalid bin Waleed used to do pre-fajr raids on the enemy........"

You can't expect people to stay the same way they were in the past; it's human nature to adapt. When individuals like xoogSADE14 claim the wadaads will be massacred as it happened in the 90's, he doesn't realize the wadaads have changed by adapting and getting stronger. Thanks to various communications means (like the Internet), the global Islamic insurgencies are exchanging the experiences and expertises they have acquired in the battlefields and frontlines. Those insurgencies are getting more assertive, bold, stronger and difficult to beat.

[xoogSADE14]

"the three-month battle for the Somali capital, the Islamic side carried out night commando raids, attacked before dawn or fought through the night -- all rare tactics in Somalia, residents and experts said."

thats how we defeated the "wadaado" and the USC. my people have been doing that for hundreds of years dagaalka habeenkii baaban ka helnaa

"arab"man

i'm just amazed at how lil you know about somalia and what happened in the civil war

[fagash_killer]

xoogsade al xitaad is on other story than the wadaads cuss only sheikh dahir aweys is now part of the maxkamda doesnt mean that you defeated them ore that they will massacre you

[The rebel]

The funniest thing I heard about them was when someone in TV channel said 'Black Taliban taking over in Horn Africa'

[Galol]

Rebel

What is so funny about that? It is actually quite an apt description. The similarities between Afghans and Somalis is quite extensive.

Wahab

I think two main elements lead to the temporary victory of the wadaads. One is the falure of warlords to establish a semblance of peace, law and order and normality in the areas they controlled. They failed even at warlordism. The second element is the American support of the warlords which only served as a rallying call for the Islamists and earned them sympathy of famously xenophic population. Conversely the fighters of teh warlords were now only motivated by money tutning them from clan fighters to mere mercenaries who werent paid enough.

All this nonsense about new tactics is so much hogwash. I know some of the people who seel these bull stories to news agencies hungry for `islam related' news stories.

[The rebel]

Galol

I know I'm biased to the conservative views, something I can’t help. I may disagree with him with a few technical details. However, he is free with his views and has rights to say it, we should respect it. My point is that free speech is something to be valued regardless of who disagrees with it or who found it offensive..... (pointing out 'Kufar killing thing').