VZCZCXRO9792
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1796/01 2361533
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241533Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0774
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 001796 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E and A/S Carson 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV MOPS PTER SOCI MARR SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - TFG/Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'a Experience Gains, 
Losses in Recent Fighting 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The last week marked a period of heightened 
military activities in parts of Somalia involving TFG troops and the 
allied forces of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama'a (ASWJ) against al-Shabaab and 
allied Hisbul Islam fighters.  Several towns, including Bula Hawa 
and Luq in Gedo region which al-Shabaab and Hisbul Islam had earlier 
lost to the TFG/ASWJ, reverted to al-Shabaab after an unexplained 
TFG/ASWJ retreat. The TFG's offensive against al-Shabaab for the 
Hiraan region town of Bula Burte ended prematurely after al-Shabaab 
fighters attacked Beledweyne, a Hiraan town under TFG control, 
forcing TFG troops to return to its defense. Similarly, al-Shabaab 
managed to push  ASWJ fighters out of Wabho, Hiraan region, 
reversing a loss of a mere week ago. A near-simultaneous ASWJ 
attempt to take control of Mahas, Hiraan region, failed. ASWJ 
maintains control of the Hawiye/Abgal/Waesle majority southern 
Galgaduud towns of Elder, Galad and, Ronnirgood.  Last week also saw 
an increase in extremist attacks on AMISOM/TFG positions in 
Mogadishu.  Despite the uptick in al-Shabaab attacks, observers in 
Somalia believe that al-Shabaab is getting weaker and more 
vulnerable while the TFG/ASWJ, although disorganized, are becoming 
more confident and assertive.  End summary. 
 
TFG Gedo Gains Reversed 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On August 17, ASWJ fighters took control of Bula Hawa town 
after al-Shabaab retreated without a fight.  (Note:  The media 
reported that the ASWJ fighters were a mix of ASWJ and former TFG 
troops, chiefly Marehan and Rahanweyn clan militias, based at the 
border town of Dolo. End note.) ASWJ's fortunes were reversed on 
August 19, when al-Shabaab attacked and, after a brief battle, ASWJ 
retreated from Bula Hawa to Dolo town. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On August 19, TFG troops from Dolo captured Luq from Hisbul 
Islam fighters without a fight, only to voluntarily retreat the 
following morning, August 20, allowing Hisbul Islam to return to its 
original positions.  (Note:  The TFG has offered no explanation for 
its troops' retreat.  End note.) On August 22, Hisbul Islam fighters 
in Luq announced a merger with al-Shabaab, no doubt to aid their 
defense against further TFG attempts on Luq. 
 
Bula Burte:  the Victory 
That Never Was 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) Emboldened by their successes against al-Shabaab/Hisbul 
Islam in Beledweyne in mid-July, ambitious TFG troops moved to wrest 
Bula Burte, also in the Hiraan region, from al-Shabaab.  On August 
20, TFG troops engaged in a fierce battle, which lasted for close to 
twelve hours, against al-Shabaab fighters in Bula Burte.  Despite a 
press release from the TFG President's communications office 
announcing the TFG capture of Bula Burte, the fighting ended 
inconclusively and al-Shabaab remained in possession of the town. 
As the TFG troops were fighting in Bula Burte, al-Shabaab fighters 
launched a tactical counter-attack on Beledweyne, successfully 
occupying the western part of the town in pushing TFG troops across 
the Shabelle River. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Al-Shabaab's capture of western Beledweyne prompted the 
arrival of ENDF troops.  The ENDF did not attack al-Shabaab, 
however.  Instead they defended the rest of the town from al-Shabaab 
encroachment until TFG reinforcements, who had retreated from Bula 
Burte, reached Beledweyne and attacked. Al-Shabaab in the end 
returned to western Beledweyne after the ENDF left town later in the 
evening of August 20.  Beledweyne is now under TFG and 
al-Shabaab/Hisbul Islam control. 
 
AWSJ Loses Wabho, 
Galgaduud 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) On August 20, in an uncoordinated attack against 
al-Shabaab, Hiraan ASWJ (Hawiye/Hawadle) failed to re-take Mahaas 
town which they had lost to al-Shabaab in May.  On the same day, 
Galgaduud ASWJ (a mix of several Galgaduud clans) lost control of 
the Hiraan region town of Wabho barely two weeks after they had 
taken possession of it.  ASWJ contacts told us that Hiraan and 
Galgaduud ASWJ had originally planned to jointly attack al-Shabaab's 
base in Mahaas, but had failed to properly coordinate their efforts. 
 
 
 
NAIROBI 00001796  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) El-Der, Galad and, Ronnirgood towns in southern Galgaduud 
remained under Hawiye/Abgal/Waesle ASWJ militia control following 
clashes with al-Shabaab two weeks ago. (Note:  There is no Waesle 
area currently under al-Shabaab occupation.  End note.) 
Hawiye/Abgaal sources in Mogadishu told us that the other Abgaal 
subclans --Hari Abgal and Wabudhan-- have begun mobilizing militia 
in what could become an effort to remove al-Shabaab from their areas 
in Middle Shabelle region as a result of recent Abgal/Waesle 
successes. 
 
Increasing Attacks 
in Mogadishu 
------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) The last week also saw an increase in both the frequency 
and intensity of extremists' attacks against TFG/AMISOM positions at 
ex-control Afgoye and the KM 4 area.  On August 22, there was fierce 
al-Shabaab and allied extremist fighting against TFG troops at 
ex-control Afgoye.  AMISOM troops in nearby Siyad academy had to 
intervene to repulse extremist fighters reportedly causing them 
severe casualties.  On the evening of the same day, extremists 
launched mortar attacks at Maka-al Mukarma and KM 4 areas, engaging 
AMISOM and TFG troops in combat.  Extremist forces reportedly 
retreated under heavy AMISOM shelling, again sustaining high 
casualties.  In the confusion during the fighting, AMISOM shelling 
reportedly caused some TFG troop casualties. 
RANNEBERGER