A series of battles in Hiraan, Shabeellaha Dhexe and Galgudug, between rebels of al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam and Somali government forces and ICU militants loyal to the government, erupted during spring 2009. The fighting led to al-Shabaab capturing major government strongholds and Ethiopian forces re-entering Somalia and setting up bases in Hiraan. There was a halt in fighting during a government offensive in Mogadishu, which started on May 22.
The fighting
On May 11, al-Shabaab fighters seized control of the Bula-Barde district of Hiraan, which was under control of the ICU militants. They entered the town from all sides with a lot of battle Toyota pickup-trucks and immediately positioned themselves at the district police station. This was the first district in Hiraan to fall in the hands of al-Shabaab.
On May 12, ICU forces attacked al-Shabaab in Mahas, Hiraan. The fighting killed seven, after which it came to a standstill. Calm returned to the town on May 13, as the attackers had seized control of the town and al-Shabaab forces withdrew and started regrouping.
On May 14, fighting took place overnight between al-Shabaab and Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaah militants in the village of Yasoman, in Hiraan. The fighting left one insurgent dead and four people injured.
May 15, al-Shabaab fighters attacked the town of Mahas, of which they had lost control of two days earlier. The fighting was between al-Shabaab and pro-government group Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaah, which had fought al-Shabaab in January for control of Galgudug. Four people were killed in the fighting and hundreds of civilians fled the town, also its telecommunication was cut off. Fighting also broke out in the village Wabho, in the Elbur district of Galgudug, between the same two groups. Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaah won the battle for Wabho, which left five people dead. On the same day, Sheikh Abdirahman Ibrahim Ma'ow, the chairman of the ICU administration in Hiran said he would take steps to settle tensions in the region. However, fighting still continued after this.
May 16, in Beledweyn, Hiraan's capital, the governor: Sheikh Abdirahman Ibrahim Ma'ow was targeted by two roadside bombs but survived the blast. Tension was high in the town as ICU fighters roamed the city streets and security was tightened, two suspects were arrested. One civilian was killed and two civilians and one ICU militant were injured when al-Shabaab forces through grenades at ICU militants standing on guard on the Beledweyne Bridge. In response, the ICU stopped the flow of traffic and conducted search operations. In total, 68 people were killed in the fighting on May 15 and 16. The government claimed they had killed 47 al-Shabaab fighters, including a white man in Mahas and Wabho.
On May 17, there were major battles in Jowhar and in Garsale village. Al-Shabaab took control of the key town of Jowhar, which is the capital of Shabeellaha Dhexe. It has an important strategic location as the road that links Mogadishu to the central region passes through it. The fighting in the city left three ICU militants dead, in a 20-minute battle, whereafter ICU and other pro-government militia fled the city and hundreds of al-Shabaab fighters entered it. This was seen as a major victory for al-Shabaab. Fighting in Mahas (in Hiraan) killed at least 17 people, while fighting in El Bur (in Galgudug) killed 16 people, the wounded were transported to hospitals in Grui El and Beledweyn. Meanwhile, al-Shabaab started sending forces from Mogadishu (where there was a major battle from May 7 to 14) and Bal'ad (a district between Mogadishu and Jowhar) into Hiraan and Shabelle Dheexe as reinforcements.
May 18, at least seven people, three al-Shabaab fighters and four civilians were killed in the village of Ayne after pro-government militants ambushed an al-Shabaab convoy which was transporting fighters from Bulo Burte to Mahas. Due to the ambush, the convoy was forced to head back to their base in Bulo Burte. A battle broke out for the village of Ceyn, three people were killed in the fighting. Meanwhile, Hizbul Islam captured another key, strategic town, named Mahaday, which lies some 23 km north of previously captured Jowhar, the capital of Shabelleh Dheexe. The seizure of Mahaday is a big blow to the government as three out of four districts in Shabelle Dheexe (Middle Shabelle) had now fallen in the hands of al-Shabaab which already controls Shabeellaha Hoose (lower Shabelle), previously the government controlled all of Shabelle Dheexe.