BAIDOA HAS FALLEN !!!!

[AbdiWahab252]

Somalia's Islamists Seize Baidoa

Fighters loyal to Somalia's Islamic courts seized the transitional capital city of Baidoa in Southwest Somalia earlier this evening, from the transitional government after a series of pitched battles.

The fighting erupted as residents returned from the Maghareb prayers. Initially, the fighting occured on the outskirts of the city where the Islamists and TFG troops with their Ethiopian allies clashed. However, soon the fighting spread into the city center when forces loyal to the RRA leader, Ebrahem Habasade, attacked the TFG and Ethiopian allies from the rear.

The fighting overshadows the peace talks which are to occur in Sudan next week.

Somalia has been in the grip of warlords and militias for years and has not had a functioning national government since 1991.


The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) has consolidated its control over much of southern Somalia after seizing the capital, Mogadishu, in June.

The UIC was set up by businessmen who wanted to impose law and order, and their gunmen have become Somalia's strongest fighting force.

Islamist Surprise

The fall of Baidoa caught many Somali analysts by surprise. Earlier in the week, the UIC leader, Dahir Hasan Aweys said it dids not intend to attack the transitional government but would defend itself against Ethiopian forces.


Regional War Fears

Observers fear that Somalia could become engulfed in a wider war for control of the Horn of Africa. Currently, two regional nations are alleged to have troops in Somalia. Ethiopia has said that its only forces in Somalia are there for training purposes. Eritrea, which is deeply hostile to Ethiopia, is also alleged to have sent troops to Somalia to reinforce the UIC.

Shez Tia Boa
XINHUA

[Enemy_Of_Mad_Mullah]

Liaaaaaaaaaaaar, there's no source and this is not possible

[smooth]

no source!!

[Ashlee~]

Its abdiwahab writing that shit

[gurey25]

^^^admit it , it made your heart jump didnt it

[AbdiWahab252]

gurey: Ashlee and his friends sent an Antonov full of DEPEND adult diapers for the Old Man Yusuf who has been sh&tting in his pants in fear

[LionHeart-112]

Who knew hutus had the power to predict the future accurately when it's in their favor.

[AbdiWahab252]

I wanna see Shabelle News tomorrow morning

[eyes-only]

Unfortunately, Sheikh Xassan Dahir Aweys wants them to waitÂ…. I donÂ’t know if they will, cause he is running out of reasons to convince the mujahideen to wait.

The only way this could go ahead tonight is if it is termed as a D&M revolution because Aweys has been campaigning for peace talks.

[Qaarxiye]

Ka fiirso waxaad qortid saaxib. Idaamale, GodeyNews and Qaadsiya may republish them as a real news.

[fagash_killer]

October 26, 2006 - 10:39
Somalia's Islamists take key town



BBC, 25 Oct. 2006--Fighters loyal to Somalia's Islamic courts have taken control of a key trading town from the transitional government without bloodshed.

They drove into Sakow on Wednesday evening moving closer to the seat of the interim administration in Baidoa.

Islamists are reported to be massing to the east of Baidoa, where government troops have been seen building defences with the aid of Ethiopian soldiers.

The opposing sides are due to meet in Sudan next week for peace talks.

Somalia has been in the grip of warlords and militias for years and has not had a functioning national government since 1991.

The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) has consolidated its control over much of southern Somalia after seizing the capital, Mogadishu, in June.

The UIC was set up by businessmen who wanted to impose law and order, and their gunmen have become Somalia's strongest fighting force.

Pressure

"It was simple because we did not encounter any fighting when we entered the town," Sheikh Hassan Derow, an Islamist commander told AFP news agency.

Residents of the town which is 170km south-west of Baidoa, said pro-government forces fled to the north.

The BBC's East Africa correspondent Adam Mynott says the pressure is building towards a confrontation between the two sides.

But the UIC has said it does not intend to attack the transitional government. Ethiopia has said that its only forces in Somalia are there for training purposes.

Eritrea, which is deeply hostile to Ethiopia, is also alleged to have sent troops to Somalia to reinforce the UIC. Observers fear that Somalia could become engulfed in a wider war for control of the Horn of Africa.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Abdi made this shit up. BUT, Baidoa is going to fall. It's inevitable. The Hawiye have always been stronger than the Rahanweyne. With the Hawiye now largley united, and with the Darood having been defeated in Kismayu, Habsades position is untenable. He will submit to Hawiye dominance and cloak it as joining an Islamic coaltion.

Long have the Haber Gedir sought to dominate Somalia. Now, they are the dominant clan of Southern Somalia. Will they allow the other clans of the Hawiye, as well as the Darood elements and Rahanweyne elements (and dare I suggest the Biimal of the Dir?) to participate as full members of an "Islamic government"? That seems unlikely. Major power brokers will have a big voice over their fiefdoms, as long as they toe the party line.

The Haber Gedir will make an effort to consolidate their gains over all of southern Somalia once Baidoa falls. Bardheere, Garbaharey, Oddur and Luuq will go easily. Probably without bloodshed. If the Darood could not stop the momentum when it really counted, in Kismayu, they will not do it in the rest of the Juba valley. The jig is up. The only way the train comes off the tracks now is if the Abgal stick it to the Haber Gedir in Mogadischu, and there are no signs right now of that happening. For reasons that are difficult to determine from the outside, but I believe are related to smart political moves in beginning rudimentary services and security to the population, the sons of Hirab remain united. As long as that is the case, southern Somalia will remain in Haber Gedir hands.

The real quesiton is, does this leave us with three statelets? Are the Majertain strong enough to hold a consolidated southern Somalia at bay? Maybe. With Ethiopian support, maybe. But Aweys will try hard now to play the Islam card. To pretend his movement is pan-Somali. This illusion has worked to a degree nationally and internationlly. His movement continues to be refered to as the UIC. It has built an identity as Islamic. Although this is a transparent cover for those who take a hard look at the composotion of the movement, the fact is, many people and most outsiders do not. Aweys has successfully parleyed his Islamic credentials into a movement that the Haber Gedir dominate, but that gives the impression of being non-clan based. A direct confrontation with the Majertain has been tried before and failed. It is more likely that Aweys will attempt to weaken the Majertain from within. Continuing his efforts to garner support from Majertain Imams and undermine the ability of the current Majertain leadership to govern.

Thus we can expect the next phase to be the seizure of Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions, the conslidation of control over Jubadda Dhexe and Jubbada Hoose. Once that happens, and control of these five regions is consolidated, energy directed against Puntland, particularly in Mudug, can be expected in earnest.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

I am surprised this thread did not elicit more commentary. No one has a contrary opinion?