rebel control – Page 15 – PolGeoNow Free Site Staging

February 2, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: French Take Kidal, Other Towns (February 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

This is an update of our Mali conflict map – for the original story, see Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention.

Updated map of fighting and territorial control in Mali during the January-February 2013 French intervention against the Islamist extremist rebel groups Ansar Dine and MUJAO. Reflects the situation as of February 2, when Kidal and other towns have been captured by French and African forces.

Updated map of territorial control and airstrikes in Mali, as of Feb. 2, 2013. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

French Troops Secure Kidal
After taking the two largest cities in Mali’s north over the last week, the French military by Thursday had also secured Kidal, the last of the area’s three major regional centers. The religious extremist rebels of Ansar Dine had apparently already fled the city, which was instead occupied by two moderate rebel organizations, the MIA and the MNLA, the latter of which originally took over the north last spring before being driven out by religious extremist groups.

The MNLA rebels, who were originally a Tuareg-led separatist movement (and even declared an independent country in their territory), have reemerged since the French intervention began, with an apparent willingness to negotiate for limited autonomy within Mali. If fact, they did not resist the French takeover of Kidal, saying they only refuse occupation by the Malian army itself, which they claim has long abused the Tuareg and Arab people of the far north. They also claimed control of a number of towns in the region this week, though journalists have not been able to verify these assertions.

Country Name:
• Mali (English, French, Bambara)
Official Name:
• Republic of Mali (English)
• République du Mali (French)
• Mali ka Fasojamana (Bambara)
Capital: Bamako

Meanwhile, two other major towns near Gao have also fallen out of rebel hands. Ansongo was taken on Tuesday by forces from Niger and Mali, while Ménaka was occupied by allied soldiers from Chad. The Chadian contingent makes up nearly half of the African foreign supporting force in Mali, and unlike the others is not a member of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS.

With the capture of all three major northern cities, and reports that most of the Niger River region has also been secured, the first phase of the intervention in Mali is coming to an end. The victorious French and Malian presidents made a celebratory visit to Timbuktu on Saturday, declaring that French soldiers would remain in the country only long enough for African forces to take over the peacekeeping mission.

The extremist rebels have apparently fled into the desert, with Ansar Dine (or what’s left of it after its split with the MIA) believed to be hiding out in the mountains north of Kidal. The only town known to be under their control is Aguelhok, which was targeted by French airstrikes in recent days.

Besides the shrinking strongholds of Ansar Dine, several border areas appear to be under the influence of the MNLA rebels, though as mentioned before, they have not opposed the foreign intervention so far. MUJAO, the other major extremist group which had controlled towns in northern Mali, is apparently nowhere to be seen (for the moment anyway).

Original Story: Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention

Further Reading:
Islamists’ Harsh Rule Awakened Ethnic Tensions in Timbuktu
Niger agrees to host Mali-bound U.S. spy drones
Reuters Slideshow – Timbuktu Retaken

Additional Source for Map: France24 map – War in Northern Mali

Graphic of Malian flag is in the public domain (source).

January 27, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: Gao and Timbuktu Retaken (January 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

This is an update of our Mali conflict map – for the original story, see Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention.

Updated map of fighting and territorial control in Mali during the January 2013 French intervention against the Islamist forces of Ansar Dine and MUJAO. Reflects the Jan. 26-27 recapture of major northern cities Gao and Timbuktu by French and Malian forces.

Updated map of territorial control and fighting in Mali, as of Jan. 27, 2013. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

French-Malian troops capture two major northern cities
Events have proceeded quickly in Mali’s ongoing war since the France’s military intervention against radical Islamist rebels began just over two weeks ago. This weekend, French and Malian troops recaptured Gao and Timbuktu, two of the three major towns seized by separatist rebels last spring and taken over by radical right-wing militias a few months later.

After taking back most of the country’s central region earlier this week (See: Mali Map Update 2: Douentza Secured by Government), the allied French-Malian forces proceeded northeast from Diabaly and Douentza. On Friday, they took the town of Hombori on the road to Gao, even as Al Qaeda linked MUJAO rebels destroyed a bridge near the border with Niger in order to obstruct a looming invasion by Nigerien and Chadian troops.

Country Name:
• Mali (English, French, Bambara)
Official Name:
• Republic of Mali (English)
• République du Mali (French)
• Mali ka Fasojamana (Bambara)
Capital: Bamako

On Saturday, the French and Malian armies seized Gao itself, where they seem to have encountered a limited amount of resistance from the rebels of MUJAO. Many of the militants had already fled the major cities after weeks of French airstrikes against their positions, and on Sunday the allied troops swept quickly through Léré and all the way to Timbuktu, where they are reportedly now establishing control.

Also in the past week, a major faction of the rebel group Ansar Dine defected, forming a new organization called the Islamic Movement for the Azawad. The new faction, dominated by Malian Tuareg people, claims to renounce Islamic extremism, instead saying they want to negotiate peacefully for increased autonomy in the country’s north.

Meanwhile, the French and Malian armies are receiving increasing support from other countries. The U.S., though not directly involved in the conflict, has been providing logistical support to the French military. And several days ago, troops from the neighboring country of Burkina Faso became the first foreign African forces to be deployed alongside the Malian and French contingents (though they still aren’t on the front lines).

On a darker note, accusations have spread of ethnically-motivated murders of Tuareg and Arab civilians by the Malian military (the northern rebels are mostly Tuareg and Arab people). This comes amid the mysterious barring of foreign journalists from towns occupied by the Malian and French forces. Officials have denied any knowledge of such killings, but human rights organizations have been increasingly raising alarms over the alleged abuse.

Original Story: Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention

Recommended Reading: In Mali, Diabaly residents helped repel Islamist militants

Graphic of Malian flag is in the public domain (source).

January 22, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: Douentza Secured by Government (January 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

This is an update of last week’s Mali conflict map – for the full story, see Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention.

Updated map of territorial control and fighting in Mali, as of Jan. 22, 2013. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

Key Central Town under French-Malian control
The ongoing French-led war against right-wing Islamic insurgents in northern Mali has achieved another victory. Douentza, probably the most important of the central Malian towns formerly held by the rebels, has now been secured by government and French forces. The allied troops reportedly found that the rebels had already left ahead of them, presumably fleeing the French airstrikes that targeted the town over the last week.

Douentza’s status had been a matter of uncertainty for some time, starting with apparently false claims of its capture by the Malian army on the eve of the French intervention. It had been held by the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), the more extreme of the two main rebel groups controlling territory in northern Mali (and the more closely connected to Al Qaeda).

The capture of Diabaly town has also been fully confirmed now, after a few days of confusion. It had been reported that there was fighting on the ground between French and rebel forces, but residents of the town say it was mainly airstrikes that drove the militants out.

Meanwhile, forces from both France neighboring African countries have continued to arrive in Mali to fight the rebels. French troops in the country now number over 2,000, while African troops from Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Niger, and Chad currently total about 1,000. Chadian and Nigerien troops are also amassing in Niger near the Malian border, from where they may open up a new front by crossing the border to take Gao, the region’s largest city and currently the headquarters of MUJAO.

Original Story: Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention

Recommended Reading: Behind Mali’s conflict: myths, realities & unknowns (commentary from an expert in Mali)

January 18, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: Hardline Rebels Lose Two Towns (January 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

This is an update of yesterday’s Mali conflict map – for the full story, see Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention.

Updated map of territorial control and fighting in Mali, as of Jan. 18, 2013. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

Rebels Lose 2 Towns to French-Malian Forces

The French intervention in Mali has finally resulted in territorial gains for the government, after the two central towns of Konna and Diabaly were reportedly retaken by French and Malian troops today. Mali had incorrectly claimed the recapture of Konna earlier this week, and Diabaly was actually seized by the Islamic extremist rebels after French forces arrived. Local sources have now confirmed both towns to be under government control.

Also today, troops from a Nigerian-led West African force finally began arriving in the country (though they have not yet joined in the combat). Meanwhile, a hostage crisis continued into its third day in neighboring Algeria, where militants closely linked to Al Qaeda have taken over a natural gas field and captured its crew of international workers. By some accounts the militants have demanded an end to the French intervention in Mali, though the location of the gas field is far from Mali’s borders, and they are believed to have attacked from within Algeria.

Full Story: Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention

January 17, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: France Begins Intervention Against Religious Hardline Rebels (January 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

Islamic extremist militants have ruled Mali’s vast northern region almost unopposed for half a year, after driving out the secular Tuareg-majority separatists who briefly declared an independent country there last spring. But everything changed last weekend, with a new rebel offensive and surprise French military intervention that have kicked the war back into full gear. Read on for a summary of events.

Map of fighting and territorial control in Mali during the January 2013 French intervention against the Islamist forces of Ansar Dine and MUJAO

Current territorial control and fighting in Mali (including French intervention). Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

Map Updates: Check our Mali channel for frequent updates to this map.

Northern Mali in Rebel Hands
The rebellion in northern Mali began as a separatist struggle led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), a secular group of mostly Tuareg ethnicity who last spring successfully seized Mali’s north and declared independence as the State of Azawad. But their victory was soon hijacked by Ansar Dine, a hard-line Islamist militia (also led by Tuaregs) that had fought alongside them previously. Ansar Dine was then joined by MUJAO, an Al Qaeda offshoot group, who swiftly expelled the MNLA from the region. (See: Independent Azawad No More: Northern Mali in Islamist Hands)

The closely allied Ansar Dine and MUJAO remained comfortably in control of northern Mali for the next half year. Citizens accused of immorality were brutally punished under an extreme interpretation of Islamic law, and ancient historical sites were destroyed for allegedly being un-Islamic. Meanwhile, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the global terror organization’s Northwest African branch, was allowed to operate freely in the region. The U.N. Security Council eventually authorized a military intervention to be led by neighboring countries, but it was not expected to begin until next September at the earliest.

Further Reading: Making Sense of Mali’s Armed Groups (guide to militias from both sides)

Country Name:
• Mali (English, French, Bambara)
Official Name:
• Republic of Mali (English)
• République du Mali (French)
• Mali ka Fasojamana (Bambara)
Capital: Bamako

War Breaks Out
Everything changed last week, when Ansar Dine and MUJAO began an allied push to extend their territory southward towards Mali’s capital. On Thursday, the Malian army claimed (incorrectly) to have captured the important town of Douentza from the rebels, but in fact it was soon the Islamists who had taken new territory, the small central town of Konna.

Panic ensued as it appeared Sévaré, which hosts a critical military airport, and Mopti, a regional capital for central Mali, would be next. But the next day, the tables suddenly turned with the surprise arrival of hundreds of French troops (responding to a request from Mali’s president). At the same time, news hit that supporting forces from neighboring West African countries would be arriving within days.

Over the following night, French and Malian forces claimed to have taken Konna back from the rebels, amid a series of airstrikes against Islamist positions. However, by Monday the extremists had captured Diabaly, the nearest town yet to Mali’s capital and major population centers (though perhaps not as significant as it appears); and by Tuesday, the French government was denying that its forces had even recaptured Konna.

The situation in Mali is continuing to change by the hour (Diabaly is now reportedly surrounded by French and Malian troops, and there are unverified claims that Konna has finally been recaptured). Political Geography Now will be releasing frequent updates to the map as the conflict plays out. Stay tuned!

(To see only posts related to this conflict, you can filter the site for all Mali articles).

Note on Names:
• The acronym “MNLA” is based on the French name, and is sometimes rendered “NMLA” to match the English.
• “MUJAO” is also a French-based acronym. The English acronym is “MUJWA” (or sometimes “MOJWA”).
• Ansar Dine is pronounced “an-SAR (uhd)-DEEN” and sometimes spelled “Ansar Eddine” or “Ansar ud-Dine”.
• AQIM is also known by its French acronym “AQMI”; its Arabic actually means “Al Qaeda in the Islamic West”.

Graphic of Malian flag is in the public domain (source).

January 10, 2013

Central African Republic: Map of Rebel Control (January 2013)

Last month, rebels in the Central African Republic launched a sudden military campaign against the government, rapidly taking over city after city in their advance towards the capital. Fighting has now come to a temporary halt, with much of the country under rebel control. Read on for a summary of the conflict so far.

Map of 2012-2013 rebellion in the Central African Republic, showing current rebel control as of January 11, 2013

Advance of Séléka rebels in the Central African Republic during December 2012 and January 2013. Map fact-checked and modified by Evan Centanni from this map by Wikimedia user Keitsist. License: CC BY-SA

Updated Map: Central African Republic – Map of Rebel Control (March 2013)

Rebellion in the Central African Republic
In 2007, a three-year civil war came to an end in the Central African Republic (CAR) when the government reached a peace agreement with several rebel groups. Yet six years later, some of the rebels feel that the government has still not honored its side of that agreement, and last month violence broke out once again.

The new fighting was initiated by a coalition of rebel groups calling itself “Séléka”, which means “alliance” in Sango, the national language of the CAR. The rebels have threatened to depose President François Bozizé, who took power in a 2003 coup but has since won two controversial elections.

More Background: BBC News Q&A – Central African Republic’s rebellion

Rebel Advance from the North
The rebel campaign began on December 10, when they took over N’Délé, a regional capital in the country’s north, which had been under the control of a government-allied former rebel group. At the same time, the new rebel coalition captured two other northern towns, Ouadda and Sam Ouandja. A week later, they stormed into Bria, a diamond-mining town and regional capital in the country’s east. By this time, their forces in N’Délé had also advanced south to capture the town of Bamingui.

Country Name:
• Central African Republic (English)
• Centrafrique (French)
• Bêafrîka (Sango)
Official Name:
• Central African Republic (English)
• République centrafricaine (French)
•Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka (Sango)
Capital: Bangui

Despite the Central African government receiving reinforcements from its ally and neighbor Chad, the Séléka rebels continued on the road to Bangui, taking the towns of Kabo and Batangafo in the next two days after the Bria attack (despite some sources indicating towns being retaken, government forces no longer seem to be in control of these places; however, rebel forces may not maintain a strong presence either).

In the following days, Séléka’s forces moved west from Bria, seizing the town of Ippy on the way to Bambari. The latter city, among the country’s largest, fell to the rebels on December 23. Central African government forces subsequently attempted to retake Bambari, but were held them back. Two days later, Séléka forces in the north captured another regional capital, Kaga-Bandoro, after only brief resistance.

The seizure of Bambari and Kaga-Bandoro paved the way for Séléka to advance on Sibut, the last regional capital on the road to Bangui. It was soon reported that the rebels had bypassed Sibut to avoid Chadian forces stationed there, and had instead proceeded to the next major town, Damara. However, a few days later rebel forces seized Sibut, and it became apparent that Damara was in fact still government-held, with Central African and Chadian troops having pulled back to there from Sibut.

Standoff and Ceasefire in the South
The rebels are now using Sibut as their forward base, while forces from neighboring countries are amassing in Damara as a firewall against any invasion of the national capital, Bangui. A contingent has also arrived from more distant South Africa. Aside from the rebel capture of Alindao (and possibly one other small town) near Bambari, fighting has come to a standstill since the end of December.

A temporary ceasefire was finally reached on Thursday between the Central African Republic government and Séléka, with word of a possible unity government in the near future if talks proceed smoothly. Political Geography Now will be watching the situation closely, and reporting promptly on any new territorial developments.

Graphic of the flag of the Central African Republic is in the public domain (source).

December 28, 2012

Syria Uprising Map: December 2012 (#8)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Syria updates.

In recent months, Syria’s rebels have continued to tip the balance of the country’s civil war toward their favor, with various local victories and a few further extensions of their territorial control. Below is the updated conflict map, plus a summary of recent territorial changes.

Map of rebel activity and control in Syria's Civil War (Free Syrian Army, Kurdish groups, and others), updated for December 2012. Includes recent locations of conflict, including Salqin, Harem, Beer Ajam, Tishrin Dam, and Ras al-Ayn.

Activity and cities held by rebels and other groups in Syria, updated for December 2012. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this blank map by German Wikipedia user NordNordWest. License: CC BY-SA

Rebels Consolidate Control in Northwest
Soon after our last update, the rebels of the Free Syrian Army announced the capture of Salqin in the northwestern province of Idlib. This was the first step in a push to close the Syrian government’s last pocket of control along the Turkish border in Idlib – a goal reached just this Tuesday when the rebels finally stormed the loyalist border town of Harem. This leaves Idlib city and the town of Jisr al-Shughur as the Syrian army’s last major strongholds in the northern part of the province.

Flag of Syria under the current government

Country Name:
• Syria (English)
• Sūriyya/Sūryā (Arabic)
Official Name:
• Syrian Arab Republic (English)
• al-Jumhūriyyah al-‘Arabīyah as-Sūriyyah (Arabic)
Capital: Damascus

Eastward Expansion and Rebels vs. Kurdish Militias
Meanwhile, rebel groups have extended their control further into Al-Raqqah and Al-Hasakah provinces in Syria’s northeast. On November 8th, they reached the Kurd-dominated town of Serekani (known in Arabic as Ras al-Ayn), where they pushed out what government soldiers still remained after a Kurdish takeover earlier this year.

However, this victory was followed by several weeks of clashes between the rebels and local Kurdish militias. Much of the fighting was initiated by Islamic extremist factions among the rebels, though relations are already tense enough between Kurdish groups and the Arab-dominated Free Syrian Army.

Kurdish militia units took the events in Serekani as a cue to finish ridding other Kurdish towns of government troops, some of whom had previously been allowed to remain inside their bases despite no longer controlling the towns. These efforts also resulted in one new town, Tal Tamir, falling into Kurdish hands.

Also in the country’s northeast, rebel forces overran Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River in late November. This hydro-electric dam is an important source of energy for northern Syria, and also serves as a key crossing on the main road from Aleppo to Al-Raqqah.

Renewed Fighting in Damascus and the Golan Heights
Although the Syrian capital itself remains mostly under government control, rebel activity in the surrounding suburbs has redoubled in recent months, with neighborhoods outside the city limits believed to form a patchwork of government, rebel, and undetermined control. Douma, the next largest city in Damascus’s metropolitan area, is again a rebel stronghold.

Farther to the southwest, fighting has broken out in the Golan Heights region. Most of this disputed territory has been controlled by Israel since 1967, but a thin strip on the Syrian side is patrolled as a demilitarized zone by U.N. peacekeeping forces. However, last month Syrian rebels began establishing themselves in the zone, capturing local villages such as Beer Ajam. Government forces ignored the strip’s demilitarized status and entered with tanks to combat the rebels, leading to exchanges of fire with the Israeli military after Syrian shells flew over the international border.

Graphic of Syrian flag is in the public domain (source).

December 13, 2012

Somalia: Al Shabaab Map Update (Dec. 2012)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Al Shabaab, Somalia’s local branch of Al Qaeda, has continued to gradually lose territory since government-allied forces captured its main stronghold two months ago. As a follow-up to our October feature on the two-year retreat of Al Shabaab, we now present the latest changes to the map of control in southern Somalia.

Map of Al Shabaab control in southern Somalia as of December 2012, highlighting recent advances by government and African Union troops since the capture of key port city Kismayo. Includes the December capture of Jowhar by Ugandan AU forces.

Southern Somalia: recent government-allied advances against Al Shabaab. Original map by Evan Centanni. Incorporates elements from this blank map by Eric Gaba and this locator map by TheEmirr. (license: CC BY-SA).

Slow Progress Against Al Shabaab
Somalia’s Islamic extremist militia, Al Shabaab, was greatly weakened when its biggest port and de facto capital of Kismayo was taken by government-allied African Union (AU) forces in October (See: The Retreat of Al Shabaab). However, it still controls a significant amount of territory, and the Somali and AU forces’ advance has been slow, with their first major territorial gain acheived only this past weekend.

Although our previous map suggested that Burhakaba east of Baidoa was under government-allied control at that time, it became clear soon after publication that the city was in fact still under the control of Al Shabaab. Most of the Somali/AU offensives over the last two months have centered on the goal of opening up the road from Mogadishu to Baidoa – an effort that has currently stalled about halfway between Wanlaweyne and Burhakaba.

Country Name:
• Somalia (English)
• Soomaaliya (Somali)
• aṣ-Ṣūmāl (Arabic)
Official Name:
• Federal Republic of Somalia (English)
• Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya (Somali)
• Jumhūriyyat aṣ-Ṣūmāl al-Fideraaliya (Arabic)
Capital: Mogadishu

Kenyan-led AU and Somali troops also began an advance towards Jilib in the southwest (presumably along the road from Afmadow, since Jamaame hasn’t been reported captured), but have apparently not yet reached that objective either. The first major town to be taken from Al Shabaab since October is Jowhar, north of Mogadishu, which fell to Ugandan-led AU and Somali forces on Sunday.

Shifting Power Structures
In other developments, the pro-government ASWJ militia, which was among the first to make gains against Al Shabaab nearly two years ago, has formally agreed to join the Somali federal government and integrate into the national army. This means that the areas north of Al Shabaab’s territory, which have long been controlled autonomously by the ASWJ, will now theoretically fall under the jurisdiction of the national government.

In practice, much of this area is still patrolled by government-allied troops from Ethiopia, who invaded last year to push Al Shabaab back from their border, though the major cities of Baidoa and Beledweyne have since been handed over to AU peacekeepers. For a who’s-who of the many players in Somalia’s civil war, see our previous Somalia feature.

Graphic of Somali flag is in the public domain (source).

October 23, 2012

Syria Uprising Map: October 2012 (#7)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Syria updates.

Syria’s civil war has raged on over the last two months, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Death and destruction has been enormous, and territorial changes few, though not none. Read on for the rundown.

Map of rebel activity and control in Syria's Civil War (Free Syrian Army, Kurdish groups, and others), updated for October 2012

Activity and cities held by rebels and other groups in Syria, updated for October 2012. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this blank map by German Wikipedia user NordNordWest. License: CC BY-SA

Rebel Gains in North

Since our last Syria update in August, the broadest change to territorial control has been the rebels’ eastward expansion from Aleppo into ar-Raqqah province, a region that had previously seen little fighting. Most notably, the Tal Abyad border crossing fell out of government hands on September 19. Starting early this month, attempts by government forces to take back Tal Abyad spiraled into low-intensity border clashes between Turkish and Syrian government forces after Syrian shells began crossing into the other country.

Meanwhile, as the city of Aleppo remains divided (map), rebel forces have slowly fought their way to modest gains in neighboring Idlib province. On August 12, the fighters secured a new stretch of border villages west of Armanaz, and on the 16th they seized Maarat al-Numan, a strategic town located on the highway between Damascus and Aleppo.

Southern & Eastern Regions
Fighting still rages in the Damascus area as well, and it is sometimes impossible to keep track of the constant back and forth between the government and rebels. However, as of last week Douma, the largest city outside of the capital, was reportedly under control of the Free Syrian Army. In the east, they also hold Mayadin, a major eastern town with a bridge over the Euphrates River.

Fighting has also begun to spill over into the neighboring country of Lebanon, whose current government is seen as supportive of the Syrian regime. The country is among the Middle East’s most diverse, and many groups have sided instead with Syria’s rebels.

Syria Map: Corrections & Additions
As the situation in Syria is rapidly changing, and journalists inside the country are few, it can sometimes be difficult to keep up with the changes. As a case in point, it turns out that the town of Ariha in Idlib province was taken back by the Syrian army a week before our August 2012 Syria update, though that map still indicated that it was rebel-held.

Two more towns have also been added to the map since last time: Zabadani northeast of Damascus was a key rebel stronghold early in the war before falling to the government, and since at least this August it is again largely controlled by the Free Syrian Army rebels. East of Aleppo, Manbij is one of the country’s largest rebel-administered towns, after government forces pulled out on July 19.

Graphic of Syrian flag is in the public domain (source).

October 9, 2012

Somalia: The Retreat of Al Shabaab

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

One year ago, Kenya and Ethiopia invaded Somalia to end the rule of Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda allied extremist group which had taken over the southern half of the country. This map and article are your guide to the militants’ slow but steady retreat, culminating in last week’s capture of the port city of Kismayo.

Map of the retreat of Al Shabaab Islamist militants in Somalia since 2011, culminating in the October 2012 capture of the key port city of Kismayo. Shows successive stages of advance by Kenyan, Ethiopian, and local forces.

The retreat of the Al Shabaab Islamist militant group in Somalia since 2011. Original map by Evan Centanni. Incorporates elements from this blank map by Eric Gaba and this locator map by TheEmirr. (license: CC BY-SA).

State of Anarchy
Located at the tip of East Africa’s “Horn”, Somalia has been wracked by chaos and violence since the fall of its last effective national government in 1991. While the northern Somaliland and Puntland regions formed autonomous governments, central and southern Somalia were ruled for many years by a patchwork of local warlords.

In recent years, the southern regions have been united under the hardline Islamist group Al Shabaab, though the extremists have been losing ground since early last year. Kenya and Ethiopia joined the fight one year ago, and last week a coalition of allied forces finally captured the extremists’ last major urban stronghold, the port city of Kismayo.

The Players: Who’s Fighting in Somalia?

Al Shabaab – This movement originated as the hardline youth wing of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which ruled southern and central Somalia briefly in 2006. The group is officially a wing of Al Qaeda, though their relationship with the terrorist network has sometimes been strained.

Transitional Federal Government (TFG) – The internationally recognized government of Somalia, though it has often been limited to governing parts of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Units from the TFG’s Somali National Army (SNA) have played a supporting role in the advances against Al Shabaab.

Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) – The military of neighboring Kenya invaded southern Somalia in October 2011 as retaliation against alleged Al Shabaab attacks on Kenyan soil. The early Kenyan campaign, approved by the TFG, was titled Operation Linda Nchi (“Protect the Country” in Swahili), and was Kenya’s first major war as an independent country.

Ethiopian National Defense Force – Another neighbor of Somalia, Ethiopia has sent forces into Somalia more than once in the past. Ethiopian involvement is unpopular among the Somali people, who see it negatively as a foreign invader; still, it has low-key approval from the TFG, and has played a key role in beating back Al Shabaab.

African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) – An international peacekeeping force originally sent to protect the TFG in Mogadishu, AMISOM has since actively fought to drive Al Shabaab out of the capital and beyond. The force is made up of soldiers from Uganda, Burundi, and Djibouti, and also recently absorbed the invading Kenyan forces under its mandate.

Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a (ASWJ) – A moderate Sufi Muslim militia which operates out of Guriel in central Somalia and Dolo in the south, the ASWJ was the first group to make major gains against Al Shabaab, and has fought alongside the Ethiopians after the invasion. ASWJ is backed by Ethiopia and allied with the TFG, though its relations with the latter are sometimes tense.

Complete map of Somalia (source)

Ras Kamboni – Named after the town at the far southwestern tip of Somalia where Islamists made a last stand against Ethiopia back in 2006, this splinter militia of the original Ras Kamboni Brigades has switched from being anti-Ethiopia to anti-Shabaab. Backed by Kenya, Ras Kamboni forces were the first to push the extremists back from the Kenyan border, and have continued making major contributions to the war effort.

Shabelle Valley Administration (SVA) – A would-be regional government for central Somalia, SVA forces fought alongside the Ethiopians, the ASWJ, and the TFG to liberate the city of Beledweyne. However, they have political disputes with the TFG and ASWJ, which also want control of the region.

The Events: Timeline of Al Shabaab’s Retreat

2011 Jan. – Al Shabaab’s territory is at its greatest extent, after absorbing rival Islamic militia Hizbul Islam.

2011 Mar.-Apr. – ASWJ forces with Ethiopian and TFG support carve out a large area of territory near the Somali-Kenyan-Ethiopian border, taking regional capital Garbaharey near the end of April.

2011 Aug. 6 – Al Shabaab stages a major withdrawal from Mogadishu, the Somali capital, after suffering defeats at the hands of AMISOM. The militia’s forces will remain in the capital’s outskirts for many more months.

2011 Oct. 16-20 – Kenya launches a three-pronged invasion, entering through El Waq, Dhobley, and Ras Kamboni. ASWJ and the Ras Kamboni militia have already cleared the way, and the KDF initially extends their conquests only as far as Qoqani and Burgabo.

Flag of Al Qaeda, used as the war flag of Al Shabaab in Somalia.

The war flag of Al Shabaab is the banner of Al Qaeda, based on Muhammed’s Black Standard. Public domain graphic by Ingoman (source).

2011 Oct.-Dec. – Heavy rains leave Kenyan forces stuck in the mud, and time is spent defending from Al Shabaab’s guerilla attacks rather than advancing on the enemy. Meanwhile, Ethiopian troops begin crossing the border in large numbers.

2011 Dec. 31 – Ethiopian, ASWJ, TFG, and SVA forces capture Beledweyne, the largest city held by Al Shabaab in central Somalia.

2012 Feb. 9 – Al Shabaab publicly joins terrorist network Al Qaeda.

2012 Feb. 22 – Ethiopian and TFG troops seize Baidoa, a major city in the interior of southern Somalia which has been held by Al Shabaab since Jan. 2008.

2012 Mar. 16 – TFG and AMISOM forces expel Al Shabaab from their last remaining strongholds within Mogadishu.

2012 Mar. 22 – Hudur, a regional capital north of Baidoa, falls to TFG and Ethiopian forces.

2012 Mar. 26 – ASWJ and Ethiopian forces in central Somalia take El Bur, an important Shabaab base, but lose it again two months later.

Flag of Ahlu Sunnah Waljamaca (ASWJ), moderate Sufi Muslim militia in Somalia.

Flag of the ASWJ (source).

2012 May 25 – TFG and AMISOM troops capture Afgoye, a key town just outside Mogadishu.

2012 May 31 – Kenyan troops and Ras Kamboni finally capture Afmadow, a key town on the way to Kismayo, after originally hoping to take it during the first weeks of the invasion.

2012 July 6 – KDF forces in Somalia are formally absorbed into AMISOM, technically ending the Kenyan invasion.

2012 Aug. 20 – The Transitional Federal Government reaches the end of its tenure, and is replaced by a new government in a limited election.

2012 Aug. 28 – Marka, Al Shabaab’s second most important port city, is secured by TFG and AMISOM forces moving west out of Mogadishu.

2012 Sep. 28 to Oct. 2 – TFG troops and Kenyan forces under AMISOM enter Kismayo, Al Shabaab’s last major urban stronghold and most important port city. The battle includes an amphibious invasion conducted by the Kenyan navy. After a few days of uncertainty, allied forces control the city.

Graphic of Somali flag is in the public domain (source).