Beledweyne
670264
220846717
2008-06-21T22:11:32Z
Blofeld of SPECTRE
1616157
{{Infobox Settlement
{{Infobox Settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info ---------------->
|official_name = Beledweyne
|other_name =
|native_name = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname =
|settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)-->
|motto =
<!-- images and maps ----------->
|image_skyline = beled weyne highnoon.jpg
|imagesize = 300px
|image_caption = Center of Belet Weyne 1993
|image_flag =
|flag_size =
|image_seal =
|seal_size =
|image_shield =
|shield_size =
|image_blank_emblem =
|blank_emblem_type =
|blank_emblem_size =
|image_map =
|mapsize =
|map_caption =
|image_map1 =
|mapsize1 =
|map_caption1 =
|image_dot_map =
|dot_mapsize =
|dot_map_caption =
|dot_x = |dot_y =
|pushpin_map = Somalia <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
|pushpin_mapsize =300
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_map_caption =Location in Somalia
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Somalia}}
|subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Somalia|Somalia]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Hiraan]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Somalia|District]]
|subdivision_name2 =
|subdivision_type3 =
|subdivision_name3 =
|subdivision_type4 =
|subdivision_name4 =
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title =
|leader_name =
|leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1 =
|leader_title2 =
|leader_name2 =
|leader_title3 =
|leader_name3 =
|leader_title4 =
|leader_name4 =
|established_title = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date =
|established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2 =
|established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3 =
<!-- Area --------------------->
|area_magnitude =
|unit_pref =Imperial <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 =
|area_land_km2 = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
|area_water_km2 =
|area_total_sq_mi =
|area_land_sq_mi =
|area_water_sq_mi =
|area_water_percent =
|area_urban_km2 =
|area_urban_sq_mi =
|area_metro_km2 =
|area_metro_sq_mi =
|area_blank1_title =
|area_blank1_km2 =
|area_blank1_sq_mi =
<!-- Population ----------------------->
|population_as_of =
|population_footnotes =
|population_note =
|population_total =
|population_density_km2 =
|population_density_sq_mi =
|population_metro =
|population_density_metro_km2 =
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
|population_urban =
|population_density_urban_km2 =
|population_density_urban_sq_mi =
|population_blank1_title =Ethnicities
|population_blank1 =
|population_blank2_title =Religions
|population_blank2 =
|population_density_blank1_km2 =
|population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
|latd=4|latm=44|lats=10 |latNS=N
|longd=45 |longm=12|longs=14 |longEW=E
<!-- General information --------------->
|timezone =[[East Africa Time ]]
|utc_offset = +3
|timezone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST =
|elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_m =
|elevation_ft =
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
|postal_code =
|area_code =
|blank_name =
|blank_info =
|blank1_name =
|blank1_info =
|website =
|footnotes =
}}
[[Image:Bruecke-beled.jpg|thumb|left|Bridge over the Shebelle River in the westside of BeletWeyne]]
'''Beledweyne''' ({{lang-so|''Beledweyne''}})(بليث وين) is a city in central [[Somalia]]. It is the capital of the [[Hiraan]] province, and is located in the central valley of the [[Shebelle River]] near the border with [[Ethiopia]], some 206 miles (332 km) north of the capital [[Mogadishu]]. Straddling a meander of the river, it consists of four main districts called: Oktoobar (Buundoweyn), Howlwadaag, Kooshin and Xaawotaako. The Shabelle river divides the town into east and west.
Beledweyne is one of the oldest cities in Somalia, and the city where the first generation of modern Somali politicians have their roots, from [[Aden Abdullah Osman Daar]] to [[Mohamed Farah Aidid]]. Following the relocation of his capital to [[Taleex]] in [[1909]], [[Mohammed Abdullah Hassan]] .<ref>Said S. Samatar, ''Oral Poetry and Somali Nationalism'' (Cambridge: University Press, 1982), pp. 133</ref>
After the death of Hasan Qalaad, Mr. Abdullahi Abdi Aaden (Koofi) was in charge of the town until the transitional Somali president [[Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed]] nominated [[Yusuf Ahmed Hagar]] (also known as Yusuf Mohamud Hagar ("Dabageed")<ref>{{cite news |title=Anti ICU lost key towns in Somalia |url=http://www.somalinet.com/news/world/Somalia/6127 |publisher=SomaliNet |date=[[December 25]], [[2006]] |accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref>) as the new governor of the region. He had been forced to flee by the [[Islamic Courts Union]] (ICU) whose forces, under the command of [[Yusuf Makaraan]] took the town in [[August 2006]] and established a [[sharia]] court under Sheik [[Farah Moalim]].<ref name=SOMALIAS-CONFLICT-ENTERS-PHASE-OF-DURESS>[http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_report&report_id=543&language_id=1 Somalia's Conflict Enters a Phase of Duress] PINR</ref><ref name=ISLAMIC-LEADER-IN-KEY-SOMALI-TOWN-SAYS-THE-WORLD-BETTER-LEARN-WHO-WE-ARE>[http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20060825-1045-somalia-strategictown.html Islamic leader in key Somali town says 'the world better learn who we are' ] Associated Press</ref> Though "Dabageed" returned to the town following the [[Battle of Beledweyne]], on [[January 1]], [[2007]], Somali President [[Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed]] declared [[Hussein Mohamud Moalim]] as new administrator for Hiiran region, replacing Dabageed, and [[Saleyman Ahmed Hilowle]] was nominated as assistant administrator.<ref name=SOMALI-PRESIDENT-NOMINATES-A-NEW-ADMINISTRATOR-FOR-HIRAN-REGION>[http://www.shabelle.net/news/ne1975.htm Somali president nominates a new administrator for Hiran region] Shabelle Media Network</ref>
==Clan strife==
The [[Hawiye]] Hawadle clan controls the east part of the town. The western part of the town is controlled by Gaaljecel and the Gugundhabe also [[Hawiye]] subclans. Other clans such as Jajeele and Makane (a Bantu people) reside the town and are powerful in terms of social and political presence of Hiran region even though they are peaceful communities.
In June [[2005]], fighting between the Galje'el and Jajele clans in the western end of town lasted for four days, resulting in 30 dead, 70 wounded and hundreds more displaced. This left the town on an uneasy footing.<ref name=SOMALIA-DEATH-TOLL-RISES-AS-FIGHTING-CONTINUES-IN-BELETWEYNE>[http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=47550 SOMALIA: Death toll rises as fighting continues in Beletweyne] IRIN</ref>
There were also reprisal killings of suspected Islamists following the [[December 2006]] [[Battle of Beledweyne]].<ref name=SOMALIS-IN-HIRAN-URGED-NOT-TO-HUNT-DOWN-ISLAMIST-FIGHTERS>{{cite news
| first=Aweys Osman
| last=Yusuf
| title =Somalis in Hiran urged not hunt down former Islamist fighters
| publisher =shabelle.net
| date =[[2006-12-31]]
| url =http://www.shabelle.net/news/ne1968.htm
| accessdate = 2007-01-05 }}</ref>
==Military history==
Beledweyne is considered a strategic town due to its location.
During the 1970s, Beledweyne was a staging area for the [[Western Somali Liberation Front]] (WSLF) which sought to liberate the Ogaden area of Ethiopia and make it part of Somalia (see [[Greater Somalia]]). When the Ethiopians drove the Somali army and the WSLF out of the Ogaden during the [[Ogaden War]], Beledweyne became the center of a refugee crisis that brought tens of thousands of Ogadeni refugees from Ethiopia into Somalia. The Ogadenis, part of the Somali [[Darood]] clan–the clan of Somali dictator [[Mohamed Siyaad Barre]]–clashed with local Hawadle of the [[Hawiye]] clan and set off the events that eventually led to [[Somali Civil War|Somalia's civil war]].
During the [[War in Somalia (2006-present)]], the internationally-backed [[Transitional Federal Government]] (TFG), supported by [[Ethiopia]]n troops, [[Battle of Beledweyne|took the town]] from the [[Islamic Courts Union]] (ICU).
== Notes ==
{{reflist}}
{{coor title dms|4|44|9.5|N|45|12|14.3|E|region:SO_type:city}}
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Somalia]]
[[de:Beledweyne]]
[[eo:Beledweyne]]
[[it:Belet Weyne]]
[[no:Beledweyne]]
[[pl:Beledweyne]]
[[pt:Beledweyne]]
[[ro:Beledweyne]]
[[so:Beledweyne]]
[[fi:Beledweyne]]