Raskamboni Movement

Raskamboni Movement
Participant in Somali Civil War
Active	October 2009–present
Groups	Ogaden
Leaders	Sheikh Ahmed Madobe[1] (Chairman) Sheikh Dahir Ahmed Abdullahi (Deputy chairman)
Headquarters	Kismayo[2]
Area of operations	Jubaland
Strength	<1,000 (2010)[3][4]
Originated as	Ras Kamboni Brigades
Allies	Federal Government of Somalia Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a[5] AMISOM
Opponents	Harakat al-Shabaab Mujahideen  al-Qaeda Barre Hiiraale militia

The Raskamboni Movement (also known as the Raskamboni Front) is a paramilitary group active in southern Somalia. It is led by Sheikh Ahmed Madobe. Raskamboni's members are opposed to the radical Islamist group Al-Shabaab.

History

The group has been involved in numerous armed clashes with al-Shabab militiamen. 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,^[6] which left at least five dead.^[7]

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.^[8][9]

In July 2012, it was reported that they staged a rescue operation to free four kidnapped aid workers from the Norwegian Refugee Council.^[10]

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).^[11][12]

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.^[13] 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.^[14] Hundreds of elders and businessmen had earlier fled the city.^[15]

References

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