Afmadow

Afmadow
Afmadow

Location in Somalia

Coordinates: 0°30′56″N 42°4′24″E / 0.51556°N 42.07333°E
Country  Somalia
Somalia Jubaland
District Afmadow District
Population [1]
 • Estimate (2011) 40,000-45,000

Afmadow (Somali: Afmadoow) is a city in southern Somalia, located in the middle of the Juba region and bordered by Kenya, Badhadhe, Kismayo, Jamame, Jilib, Hagar, Bardhere and Elwaq in Somalia, 401 km southwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is home to a wide variety of wild animals, including the Big Five game. The vegetation in Afmadow consists of rich grassland, bounded by semi-desert. Afmadow is mainly inhabited by the Mohamed Zubeyr.

History

The town was captured in 2006 by the Islamic Court Union as were the other districts in the region during the civil war.[2]

On 21 November 2009, the Islamist Al-Shabab militia took control of Afmadow, causing hundreds of families and also western aid workers to flee in fear of violence, after another Islamist group, Hizbul Islam, left a day earlier, allowing Al-Shabab to move in without much resistance.

Tension had been building between both militia since the former allies fell out in October in Kismayo, leading to fighting and Al-Shabab taking Kismayo in October 2009.[3]

On 18 October 2011, eyewitnesses reported that Kenyan jets were conducting low flight manoeuvres over the city and al-Shabab was preparing entrenchment systems to defend against an expected attack by Kenyan forces in a coordinated incursion with the Somalian army.[4]

On 31 May 2012, it was reported that African Union (Kenyan forces) and Somali government troops captured the city, as al-Shabab abandoned the town without fighting.[5]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.collinsmaps.com/maps/Somalia/Jubbada-Hoose/Afmadow/P481334.00.aspx
  2. ↑ "Somalia: Islamic Courts Attain Afmadow in Lower Jubba Region". All Africa. October 3, 2006.(Subscription required.)
  3. ↑ "Somalia: Mass exodus as militia takes control of southern town" 24 November 2009
  4. ↑ "Kenya troops 'advance into Somalia near Afmadow'". BBC. 2011-10-18. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
  5. ↑ "Somalia forces capture key al-Shabab town of Afmadow". BBC. 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2012-05-31.

Coordinates: 0°30′56″N 42°4′24″E / 0.51556°N 42.07333°E