Buulo Mareer

Bulo Marer
Buulo Mareer, Bulla Marer, Bula Mareer, Bulo Barer, Bulomarer
Town
Bulo Marer is located in Lower Shebelle
Bulo Marer
Bulo Marer
Location.
Bulo Marer is located in Somalia
Bulo Marer
Bulo Marer
Bulo Marer (Somalia)
Coordinates: 1°37′55″N 44°31′20″E / 1.63194°N 44.52222°E / 1.63194; 44.52222
CountrySomalia
RegionLower Shebelle
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Bulo Marer (Somali: Buulo Mareer, Bulla Marer, Bula Mareer, Bulo Barer, Bulomarer) is a town in the southwestern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia. It was a base of Al-Shabaab, and was the site of an ill-fated 2013 military operation during which French commandos attempted to free a French hostage that was being held by the insurgent group.[1] The town was taken by Somali government forces assisted by AMISOM troops after a battle on August 30, 2014.[2] It was the site of the 2024 African Union base attack in Bulo Marer.

Recent history

In November 2008, Bulo Marer was reported to have a protected water well.[3]

Capture by Al-Shabaab

In November 2008, the Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab occupied Bulo Marer.[4]

A photo showing al-Shabaab soldiers in Bulo Marer was published in 2008.[5]

In January 2013, the French-United States military attempted unsuccessfully to rescue hostages from Al-Shabaab in Bulo Marer.[6] [7]

In April 2014, the Tunni clan of Bulo Marer reportedly provided food to Al-Shabaab.[8]

In May 2014, 3 alleged spies for the Somali and Ethiopian governments were publicly executed in a park in Bulo Marer.[9]

In August 2014, Al-Shabaab's media arm, Al-Kataib, broadcast a documentary about the failed January 2013 attack on Bulo Marer by the French-United States military.[6]

In August 2014, Bulo Marer just after the AU military occupation

In August 2014, Somali armed forces and African Union (AU) forces occupied Bulo Marer.[8] Until then, Al-Shabaab had made Bulo Marer one of its key strongholds, robbing travelers and collecting taxes from residents.[10]

In April 2016, four civilians were killed when their vehicle was destroyed in Bulo Marer after they failed to follow military stop orders.[11]

In March 2019, Al-Shabaab carried out an attack on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base.[12]

In May 2023, Al-Shabaab attacked a base manned by Ugandan troops of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in Bulo Marer.[13] The Somalia government said 30 people were killed in the attack. Al-Shabaab said it killed 137 soldiers.[14] Uganda's president announced that 54 people were killed.[15]

In July 2024, public outrage ensued in Bulo Marer after 3 farmers were shot, and 2 were killed and beheaded by Ugandan ATMIS soldiers. Al-Shabaab broadcast in a radio message that they vowed to retaliate for the farmers' deaths. There was no immediate response from ATMIS or the Somali government.[16]

Notes

  1. ^ French soldier killed in raid to free hostage in Somalia, Associated Press, January 12, 2013.
  2. ^ "Somali, AU troops squeeze Al Shabaab militants out of Bulo Marer". Garowe Online. 30 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  3. ^ Food Security Analysis Unit (2008). "MIDDLE AND LOWER SHABELLE IDPs, AGROPASTORAL AND RIVERINE LIVELIHOOD SYSTEMS / SHABELLE VALLEY REGIONS, SOMALIA" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  4. ^ "Islamic insurgents seize key Somali towns". CNN. 2008-11-11. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  5. ^ "Man who may have helped terror group gets time served". CTV News. 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  6. ^ a b United Nations (2014). "Report of the Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea pursuant to Security Council resolution 2111 (2013): Somalia" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  7. ^ "French secret service hostage and soldiers killed in Somali rescue mission". The Guardian. 2013-01-12. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  8. ^ a b "Somalia: The Tunni ethnic group, including regions where its members reside; treatment by society, authorities and Al Shabaab; relationship with other clans (2012-December 2014)". Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  9. ^ "SOMALIA: AL SHABAAB EXECUTES THREE MEN IN LOWER SHABELLE REGION". Hands Off Cain. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  10. ^ "SOMALIA / BULO MARER LIBERATION". Unifeed. 2014-09-01. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  11. ^ "Taliska AMISOM oo ka hadashay Afar qof oo ciidamadoodu ay ku dileen dulleedka Buulo-mareer". Hiiraan online. 2016-04-17. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  12. ^ "Dagaal ciidamada dowladda iyo Al-shabaab ku dhaxmaray gobolka Shabeellaha Hoose". Hiiraan online. 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  13. ^ "Al-Shabab attacks AU peacekeeper mission base in Somalia". Al Jazeera. 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  14. ^ "Deadly Battle Underway in Central Somalia After Al-Shabab Attack". VOA. 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  15. ^ "We lost 54 soldiers in Bulo Marer attack-President Museveni". Goobjoog News English. 2023-06-04. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  16. ^ "Outrage After Ugandan AU Soldiers Allegedly Kill and Behead Farmers in Bulo Marer". Horn Observer. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 26 December 2024.

References