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Raskamboni Movement

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Jihadist Islamic movement in Somalia and Kenya founded in 2009
Raskamboni Movement
LeadersSheikh Ahmed Madobe
Maalim Mohamud
Dates of operationSince 7 October 2009
Group(s)Ogaden
HeadquartersKismayo
Active regionsJubaland
IdeologyIslamism
Pan-Islamism
Jihadism
Size<1,000 (2010)
AlliesSomalia Federal Government of Somalia
Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a
AMISOM
Opponents Harakat al-Shabaab Mujahideen
 al-Qaeda
Barre Hiiraale militia
Preceded by
Ras Kamboni Brigades

The Raskamboni Movement (Somali: Xarakada Raaskambooni) is a jihadist Islamic movement led by Sheikh Ahmed Madobe, the current president of the Jubaland state in southern Somalia. After fighting with Al-Shabaab they managed to capture Kismayo with the help of Kenya.

History

Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia - Asmara wing (ARS-A) and JABISO militias, which were aligned with al-Shabaab in Hiiraan and Mogadishu refused to support the Ras Kamboni Brigades, meanwhile Muaskar Anole remained neutral. The fighting led to a split within the Ras Kamboni Brigades, with a faction led by Ahmed Madoobe fighting against al-Shabaab and a faction led by Hassan al-Turki siding with al-Shabaab.

The Battle of Kismayo was won by al-Shabaab, which then expelled Madobe's Ras Kamboni Brigades from the city. In the battles that followed, in November 2009, Madobe's forces were overpowered by al-Shabaab and its local allies. It was then forced to withdraw from the Lower Jubba region and most of southern Somalia. In February 2010, al-Turki's branch declared a merger with al-Shabaab.

On 20 December 2010, Hizbul Islam merged with al-Shabaab and the Raskamboni movement then allied with Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a and the Transitional Federal Government.

The Raskamboni engaged al-Shabab militiamen on March 13, 2011, in the village of Dif. The movement claimed to have destroyed a number of Al-Shabaab military vehicles in the fighting, which left at least five dead.

On April 3, 2011, the Raskamboni movement, in conjunction with Transitional Federal Government forces and the Kenyan Air Force, captured the border town Dhobley from Al-Shabab.

In July 2012, it was reported that they staged a rescue operation to free four kidnapped aid workers from the Norwegian Refugee Council.

In September 2012, a reconstituted Somali National Army assisted by AMISOM troops and Raskamboni militia reportedly re-captured Kismayo from Al-Shabaab insurgents during the Battle of Kismayo (2012).

In February 2014, Al-Shabaab militants launched a string of attacks in Kismayo targeting Raskamboni members, including an IED that tore through a vehicle carrying the group's members and killed several civilians. On 19 February, Raskamboni militants began an intensive search operation in the city after the group's security chief, Isse Kamboni, was shot dead by one of his bodyguards, a former Al-Shabaab member. According to eye-witnesses, Raskamboni subsequently started hunting down Al-Shabaab suspects. Many Raskomboni fighters were seen patrolling the streets, and more than 150 civilians were detained at the local police stations in connection with Isse's assassination. Seven civilian deaths were also reported during the clampdown with some accusing the militia of using the clampdown as an excuse to stifle dissent. Hundreds of elders and businessmen had earlier fled the city.

See also

References

  1. "Pro-government forces seize Dif residence close to Kenya-border". Mareeg.com. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  2. "Dissident Nation » Maintenance Mode". Dissidentnation.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  3. "Shabaab absorbs southern Islamist group, splits Hizbul Islam". LOngwarjournal.org. February 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Letter dated 10 March 2010 from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009) concerning Somalia and Eritrea addressed to the President of the Security Council" (PDF). pp. 16 & 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Somalia: Al-Shabaab's Encirclement Strategy". allAfrica.com. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  6. "Somalia's Shabaab threatens Uganda, Burundi attacks - Yahoo! News UK". uk.news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010.
  7. Thomas, Matthew J. (2013-07-01). "Exposing and exploiting weaknesses in the merger of Al-Qaeda and Al-Shabaab". Small Wars & Insurgencies. 24 (3): 413–435. doi:10.1080/09592318.2013.802611. ISSN 0959-2318. S2CID 143419941.
  8. "Somalia: Prominent Islamist leader joins Sufis". Mareeg Online. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  9. "Shabelle Media Network : Shabakada Warbaahinta Shabelle". Shabelle.net. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  10. "Somalia: Fighting Rocks Parts of Jubba Region in Southern Region". Allafrica.com. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  11. Hiiraan Online. "Government Forces Capture Dhobley Town". Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  12. Shabelle Media Network. "Somali govt confiscates Dhobley after days of fighting". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  13. STRAZIUSO, JASON (2 July 2012). "Canadian aid workers rescued after gunfight in Somalia". The Globe and Mail. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  14. "Kenyan forces attack last remaining stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia". Associated Press. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  15. Chonghaile, Clar Ni (28 September 2012). "Kenyan troops launch beach assault on Somali city of Kismayo". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  16. Keydmedia: Somalia: Kismayo residents fear new clan fighting
  17. Keydmedia: Ras Kamboni, tribal militias begin launching retaliation attacks on civilians in Kismayo
  18. Keydmedia: Somalia: Killings, Criminal acts are becoming more widespread in Kismayo
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