79PFnGscZ

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
SOMALIA (ASWJ)
Intensity: 3 | Change: NEW | Start: 2014
SOMALIA (ISLAMIST GROUPS)
Intensity: 5 | Change: | Start: 2006
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
ASWJ vs. FGS
subnational predominance, other
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
al-Shabaab vs. government
system/ideology, national power
A new violent crisis between the Sufi paramilitary group
Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a (ASWJ) and the federal government
over subnational predominance erupted. ASWJ, founded in
1991, took up arms against al-Shabaab in 2008 and two
years later signed a power sharing agreement with the Transitional
Federal Government granting ASWJ offices within the
government in exchange for their military support against al-
Shabaab. Between 2008 and 2014, ASWJ, comprising some
2,000 fighters, captured several cities previously under al-
Shabaab control and established strongholds most notably in
Galgaduud region. Following disagreements over ASWJ's integration
into the military and the formation of a new Federal
Member State in central Somalia, violence erupted at the end
of 2014. However, throughout the year, ASWJ supported the
Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in their fight against
al-Shabaab [→ Somalia (Islamist groups)].
Following the formation of a new cabinet by Prime Minister
Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, ASWJ chairman Ibrahim Hassan
Gurey announced that the group would end their cooperation
with the government stating that no members of his
group were part of the new government. In March, ASWJ
and FGS held several meetings discussing the status of ASWJ
and the role it had played in the fight against al-Shabaab. In
mid-May, ASWJ clashed with a militia loyal to Dolow district
commissioner Abdirashid Janan in Beled Hawo, Gedo region,
leaving at least ten people dead. The FGS emphasized to
be uninvolved in the clashes and called for an end to the
violence.
On July 30, representatives of the FGS, ASWJ, and Galmudug
State signed an agreement on the foundation of a new Federal
Member State comprising several regions in central Somalia
including Mudug. Stating that northern Mudug was an integral
part of the autonomous region of Puntland, the latter called
the agreement unconstitutional and withdrew all its Members
of Parliament from the capital Mogadishu [→ Somalia
(Puntland)]. Furthermore, while the agreement was signed
by Gurey, it was rejected by another ASWJ leader, Ashcari,
showing the internal division of the militia.
Following negotiations between FGS and Puntland in October,
the two parties agreed that northern Mudug would
remain under Puntland control, while southern Mudug would
become part of Central State. In response, ASWJ dismissed
the agreement on October 15 and announced to end their
participation in the state formation process. Two weeks
later, ASWJ defense secretary Sheikh Issack Hussein Mursal
rejected the government's plan to integrate ASWJ into the Somali
National Army (SNA). On December 12, an ASWJ faction
clashed with SNA forces in Galgaduud's capital Dhusamareb,
leaving at least 15 people dead. According to Galguduud
governor Hussein Ali, the fighting was preceded by ASWJ
capturing the nearby town of Gureel. He further stated that
the SNA had regained control over the towns.
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The conflict between al-Shabaab and the Federal Government
of Somalia (FGS) over national power as well as system
and ideology continued at war level for the ninth consecutive
year. The FGS was internationally supported by the
African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) including the
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Ethiopian National Defense
Forces (ENDF), and the USA. Furthermore, the moderate
Sufi paramilitary group Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a (ASWJ) and the
paramilitary Raskamboni Movement fought al-Shabaab enabling
the federal government and AMISOM to regain control
of several regions. However, Raskamboni and ASWJ aimed at
subnational predominance themselves with ASWJ engaging
in combat action with the Somali military at the end of the
year [→ Somalia (ASWJ)].
In the course of the year, al-Shabaab lost much of the territory
previously under its control through the advances of the
Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM.
However, AMISOM forces did not maintain full presence in
the captured territory. Furthermore, the FGS was unable to effectively
spread its control beyond Mogadishu towards those
areas. Accordingly, some of the captured areas were still
besieged by al-Shabaab, restricting humanitarian efforts. The
group's leader Ahmed Abdi Godane, also known as Mukhtar
Abu Zubair, was killed in a US drone strike in September.
Godane was quickly replaced by Sheikh ''Ahmad Umar Abu
Ubaidah. Nevertheless, the Islamist group continued conducting
guerrilla-style bomb and suicide attacks, as well as
assassinations, throughout the country. As in previous years,
most attacks took place in the capital Mogadishu and South
Central Somalia. In early March, SNA and AMISOM launched
the joint ''Operation Eagle, whereas follow-up ''Operation
Indian Ocean started in August. At the end of 2014, al-
Shabaab's controlled territory comprised the countryside of
Bay, Lower Shabelle, Middle Juba, Lower Juba, Gedo, and
Galgaduud regions in South Central Somalia.
In early January, the United States sent military advisers to
Somalia to support AMISOM. In July, the US disclosed that its
troops had been stationed in Somalia since 2007. On January
22, the over 4,000 Ethiopian troops active in Somalia,
were formally incorporated into AMISOM, making AMISOM
over 22,000-strong. A UN report by the Somalia and Eritrea
Monitoring Group published on February 6, alleged ''systematic
abuses of the FGS within the management of weapons
and ammunition stockpiles, which had led to weapons being
diverted to al-Shabaab and clans. Despite this revelation,
the UN Security Council (UNSC) extended the partial easing
of the arms embargo against Somalia for seven months on
March 5. ASWJ formally declared war on al-Shabaab on March
23. On May 29, the UN Security Council extended UNSOM
by twelve months. In September, Human Rights Watch published
a report on the widespread sexual abuse of girls and
women in Somalia by AMISOM soldiers. Like his predecessor
last year, Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed was ousted
by a parliamentary no-confidence vote on December 6, after
a falling out with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who
reappointed former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke
five days later.
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