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77-525: The RRA was founded in a shir assembly at Jhaffey , west of Baidoa , on 13 October 1995. Col. Hassan Mohamed Nur, "Shaargaduud" (Red Shirt) was elected chair, and an executive committee composed of officers, traditional and religious leaders, and intellectuals was established. The formation of the RRA was triggered by the invasion of Baidoa by Hussein Mohamed Farrah 's militia on 17 September 1995, which overthrew

154-551: A convention began in Baidoa between Federal Government officials and local representatives with the aim of establishing an autonomous state in the area under the Provision Federal Constitution . Two simultaneous political processes for the establishment of a new Southwestern State of Somalia were underway: one led by former Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan , which proposed a three region state consisting of

231-500: A flourishing trade with foreign nations. The southeastern city-states of Kilwa , Mombasa , Malindi , Pate and Lamu were all systematically sacked and plundered by the Portuguese. Tristão da Cunha then set his eyes on Ajuran territory, where the Battle of Barawa was fought. After a long period of engagement, the Portuguese soldiers burned the city and looted it. Fierce resistance by

308-626: A number of important ancient sites. Archaeologists have found pre-historic rock art on the city's outskirts, in Buur Heybe. During the medieval period, Baidoa was founded and settled by the Madanle clan and many traditions link the Ajuran with a people known to Somalis Madanle (Maaanthinle, Madinle, etc.) who were celebrated well-diggers in southern Somalia. Many traditions ascribe Madanle origins to Baidao and were attributed to stone-built rectangular enclosure in

385-693: A skillful combination of warfare , trade linkages and alliances . In the fifteenth century, for example, the Ajuran Empire was the only hydraulic empire in Africa at the time. As a water dynasty, the Ajuran state monopolized the water resources of the Shebelle and Jubba rivers . Through hydraulic engineering , it constructed many of the limestone wells and cisterns of the state that remain in use til today. The rulers developed new systems for agriculture and taxation, which continued to be used in parts of

462-453: Is learned via mass communications, internal migration and urbanization. Baidoa has a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSh ), as with much of southern Somalia. By contrast, towns in the northern part of the country generally have a hot arid climate (Köppen BWh ). Baidoa has a large secondary school, from which around 580 pupils graduated per year in 2008. As of 2012, several other high schools were in development. Tertiary education in

539-565: Is the largest city of the South West State of Somalia . Between 2002 and 2014, Baidoa was the capital of the South West State. In 2014, the capital was changed to Barawa . Baydhabo is the main hub of the Somali inter-riverine region and state capital of Bay Region. It was traditionally known as Baydhabo Jinaay (the heavenly Baydhabo) or ll Baydhabo (the spring of Baydhabo). The city

616-558: The Arabs and Swahilis under Portuguese rule and sent an envoy to the Turkish corsair Mir Ali Bey for a joint expedition against the Portuguese. He agreed and was joined by a Somali fleet in order to attack the Portuguese colonies in Southeast Africa . The Somali-Ottoman offensive managed to drive out the Portuguese from several important cities such as Pate , Mombasa and Kilwa . However,

693-546: The Baidoa Airport . Sitting at an elevation of 1,520 feet (463 m), it has a 9843 × 131 ft (3000 × 40 m) asphalt runway. The airport has fuel services, a terminal building, storage container, on-site warehouse, and radio towers. Baidoa is administratively divided into four districts : Ajuran Sultanate The Ajuran Sultanate ( Somali : Saldanadda Ajuuraan , Arabic : سلطنة الأجورانية ), natively referred to as Ajuuraan , and often simply Ajuran ,

770-532: The Horn of Africa was among the largest in the region. At the height of its reach, the empire covered most of southern Somalia as well as eastern Ethiopia , with its domain at one point extending from Hafun in the north to Kismayo in the south, and Qelafo in the west. The European Age of Discovery brought Europe's then superpower the Portuguese Empire to the coast of East Africa, which enjoyed

847-771: The Muzaffar clients in Mogadishu and other coastal cities by the Abgaal imam who then established the Hiraab Imamate taking residence in Mogadishu was a significant setback, and the defeat of the Silis Kingdom by a former Ajuran general in the interior of the state, Ibrahim Adeer , who established the Gobroon dynasty . Taxation and the practice of primae noctis were the main catalysts for

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924-634: The Near East , East Asia , and the wider world. The Ajuran are believed to be the first Africans to have contact with China . The Ajuran Empire traces its name back to the Arabic word; إيجار (Ījārā), which means to rent or tax. A name well deserved for the exorbitant tributes paid to the Empire. The Ajuran is regarded as a successor to its more influential predecessor, the Adal Sultanate . The precise origins of

1001-586: The Ottoman Empire , and with the import of firearms through the Muzzaffar port of Mogadishu , the army began acquiring muskets and cannons . The Ottomans would also remain a key ally during the Ajuran-Portuguese wars . Horses used for military purposes were raised in the interior, and numerous stone fortifications were erected to provide shelter for the army in the coastal districts. In each province,

1078-464: The Shabelle river , large homes and stone fortifications along with the creation of large stone wells, many of which were still in use well into the 20th century. Notably, the Ajuran were the first to impose a regular system of tribute on the surrounding population. The empire fielded a powerful army, which may have employed firearms towards the end of its dominant period around 1650. As a 'water dynasty',

1155-468: The Somali calendar . This irrigation system was supported by numerous dikes and dams. To determine the average size of a farm, a land measurement system was also invented with moos , taraab and guldeed being the terms used. The Ajuran State had a standing army with which the governors ruled and protected their subjects. The bulk of the army consisted of recruited soldiers who did not have any loyalties to

1232-555: The 16th and 17th centuries the Ajurans successively defied Portuguese hegemony on the Indian Ocean by employing a new coinage which followed the Ottoman pattern, thus proclaiming an attitude of economic independence in regard to the Portuguese. The late 15th and 17th centuries saw the arrival of Muslim families from Arabia , Persia , India and Spain to the Ajuran realm of territories,

1309-694: The Ajuran Empire minted its own Ajuran currency . It also utilized the Mogadishan currency originally minted by the Sultanate of Mogadishu , which later became incorporated into the Ajuran Empire. Mogadishan coins have been found as far away as the present-day country of the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East . The urban centers of Merca , Mogadishu , Barawa , and their respective ports became profitable trade outlets for commodities originating from

1386-586: The Ajuran Empire sent ambassadors to China to establish diplomatic ties, creating the first ever recorded African community in China and the most notable Somali ambassador in medieval China was Sa'id of Mogadishu who was the first African man to set foot in China in medieval history. In return, Emperor Yongle, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), dispatched one of the largest fleets in history to trade with

1463-472: The Ajuran Empire successfully resisted Oromo invasions from the west and fought against Portuguese incursions from the east. The Ajuran were among the great centres of commerce in the contemporary African world. Trading routes dating from ancient and early medieval periods of Somali maritime enterprise were strengthened and re-established, foreign trade and commerce in the coastal provinces flourished with ships sailing to and from kingdoms and empires in

1540-613: The Ajuran Empire. Its origin lies in the Garen Kingdom that during the 13th century ruled parts of the Somali Region of Ethiopia . With the migration of Somalis from the northern half of the Horn region southwards, new cultural and religious orders were introduced, influencing the administrative structure of the dynasty . A system of governance began to evolve into an Islamic government. Through their genealogical Baraka , which came from

1617-668: The Ajuran monopolized the Jubba and Shabelle rivers through hydraulic engineering. Historically, the Sultanate of Mogadishu was confined by the Adal Sultanate in the north. Throughout the Middle Ages, the Ajurans routinely aligned themselves politically with the Adalites. Described as one country by Ibn Battuta , a journey to Mogadishu from the town of Zeila took him eight weeks to complete. The Ajuran Empire's sphere of influence in

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1694-411: The Ajuran vary as they are rooted in traditional Somali folklore. It was in the 13th century the Ajuran first appeared and began gaining power. For several centuries they exerted strong political influence on the inland pastoralists, while also embracing coastal trade and infrastructure. The sultanate functioned for approximately three centuries. The House of Garen was the ruling hereditary dynasty of

1771-613: The Arta agreements and began to work towards the establishment of an autonomous state. Under Shatigadud's leadership, the RRA planted landmines in many areas under its control in the war, as did many factions in the Civil War. It was also a participant, along with fifteen other factions of the civil war, in the November 11, 2002 Deed of Commitment to ban landmines. Internal disputes within the RRA erupted in 2002 between Shatigadud, who wished to support

1848-526: The Baidoa Humanitarian Relief Sector from January 1993, found themselves dealing primarily with the 'Somali Liberation Army' Duduble sub-clan of Aideed's USC. "They were able to provide an ongoing flow of funds to Aideed in Mogadishu from the proceeds of their activities in the Bay region, while enriching themselves in the process." They remained in control of Baidoa until around January 1996, while

1925-526: The Bale Sultanate not being directly under Ajuran rule, the two kingdoms were deeply connected and Bale was heavily influenced by Ajuran. His tomb lies in the town of Sheikh Hussein in what is considered the most sacred place in the country for Ethiopian Muslims, in particular those of Oromo ethnic descent. In the mid-17th century, the Oromo people collectively began expanding from their homeland towards

2002-402: The Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle provinces; another led by convention organizer Malaq Ali Shino, former MP Madobe Nunow Mohamed and erstwhile Bay region Governor Abdifatah Geesey, which proposed instead the re-establishment of a six region Southwestern Somalia state consisting of the Bay, Bakool, Lower Shabelle , Gedo , Middle Jubba and Lower Jubba provinces. From 2022 to 2023, the region

2079-458: The College of Education, the College of Health and Environmental Sciences, and the College of Jurisprudence. Additionally, an Institute of Social Research is being developed. Plans are also in the works to construct a new campus in an area around 15 km north of Baidoa, as well as two new branches in two other principal cities in the Bay region. Schools: Air transportation in Baidoa is served by

2156-467: The Digil and Mirifle ( Rahanweyn ) clans in the southern regions of Somalia. Its speech area extends from the southwestern border with Ethiopia to a region close to the coastal strip between Mogadishu and Kismayo. Maay is not mutually comprehensible with Standard Somali , and it differs considerably in sentence structure and phonology. However, Maay speakers often use Standard Somali as a lingua franca, which

2233-526: The Empire were Mogadishu and Barawa . The state religion was Islam , and thus law was based on Sharia . Through their control of the region's wells, the Garen rulers effectively held a monopoly over their nomadic subjects as they were the only hydraulic empire in Africa during their reign. Large wells made out of limestone were constructed throughout the state, which attracted Somali and Oromo nomads with their livestock. The centralized regulations of

2310-406: The Garen rulers by the coastal sultans of the state. A political device that was implemented by the Garen rulers in their realm was a form of ius primae noctis , which enabled them to create marriages that enforced their hegemonic rule over all the important groups of the empire. The rulers would also claim a large portion of the bride's wealth, which at the time was 100 camels. For trade,

2387-493: The Indian Ocean , and commercial enterprise as far as East Asia . The Ajuran Empire also minted its own Ajuran currency . Many medieval bronze coins inscribed with the names of Ajuran Sultans have been found in the coastal Benadir province , in addition to pieces from Muslim rulers of Southern Arabia and Persia . Through the use of commercial vessels, compasses, multiple port cities, light houses and other technology,

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2464-507: The Portuguese governor sent envoys to Portuguese India requesting a large Portuguese fleet. This request was answered and it reversed the previous offensive of the Muslims into one of defense. The Portuguese armada managed to re-take most of the lost cities and began punishing their leaders, but they refrained from attacking Mogadishu, securing the city's autonomy in the Indian Ocean. The Ottoman Empire would remain an economic partner. Throughout

2541-441: The Portuguese who sent a punitive expedition under João de Sepúlveda, where he bombarded Mogadishu and captured Turkish vessels, compelling its ruler to sign a peace deal with the Portuguese. Barawa would also sign peace with the Portuguese after being sacked. The Ottoman-Somali cooperation against the Portuguese on the Indian Ocean reached a high point in the 1580s when Ajuran clients of the coastal cities began to cooperate with

2618-724: The RRA were eventually reconciled and, though conflicts periodically erupted thereafter, all joined the Transitional Federal Government at its formation. In June 2006, Botan Ise Alin 's militia that was allied with the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism surrendered to the RRA after the Second Battle of Mogadishu by Islamic Court Union forces. Baidoa Baidoa ( Arabic : بَيْطَبَوْ , Somali (Af-Maxaa): Baydhabo , Maay : Baydhowy )

2695-528: The RRA's military and political status locally and internationally. On 6 June 1999, the RRA liberated Baidoa and continued to fight against Aideed forces in the Lower Shabelle region. However, the Arta Reconciliation Conference of May–August, 2000, which established a transitional national government, suspended further RRA military action. However, within a few months, the RRA broke away from

2772-500: The Somali coast in exchange for grain and wood. Trading relations were established with Malacca in the 15th century, with cloth, ambergris and porcelain being the main commodities of the trade. In addition, giraffes, zebras and incense were exported to the Ming Empire of China. Hindu merchants from Surat and Southeast African merchants from Pate seeking to bypass both the Portuguese blockade and Omani interference used

2849-545: The Somali nation. The fleet, under the leadership of the famed Hui Muslim Zheng He , arrived at Mogadishu while the city was at its peak in economic and social vibrancy. Along with gold , frankincense and fabrics , Zheng brought back the first ever African wildlife to China, which included hippos , giraffes and gazelles . The Ajurans developed a very rich culture combining various forms of Somali culture with Islamic architecture , astronomy , and art. Society evolved and flourished during this period. The majority of

2926-625: The Somali ruling elite and commoners. The most famous Somali scholar of Islam from the Ajuraan period is Sheikh Hussein , who was born in Merca , one of the power jurisdiction and cultural centers of the Ajuran Empire. He is credited with converting the Sidamo people living in the area of what is now the Bale Province, Ethiopia to Islam . He is also credited with establishing the Sultanate of Bale . Despite

3003-551: The TFG and oppose the Ethiopian military's presence in Somalia. Throughout 2007 and 2008, Al-Shabaab scored military victories, seizing control of key towns and ports in both central and southern Somalia. At the end of 2008, the group had captured Baidoa but not Mogadishu. In February 2012, Somali government forces and allied Ethiopian troops re-captured Baidoa from Al-Shabaab. In December 2013,

3080-552: The TFG solidify its rule. On 8 January 2007, for the first time since taking office, President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed entered Mogadishu from Baidoa to engage in consultations with local business, religious and civil society representatives as the TFG moved its base to the national capital. Following its defeat, the Islamic Courts Union splintered into several different factions. Some of the more radical elements, including al-Shabaab, regrouped to continue its insurgency against

3157-575: The TNG's successor. In early 2005, the TFG sent official delegations to Baidoa and Jowhar to assess the suitability of each city as a temporary headquarters for the TFG before an eventual relocation of government offices to Mogadishu. In June–July 2005, the Transitional Federal Government established an interim seat in Jowhar due to ongoing insecurity in the capital. To strengthen its presence in

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3234-627: The autonomous state was a move to show the RRA leadership's disaffection with the nascent Mogadishu -based Transitional National Government , which had been established two years earlier. In 2005, the Southwestern State was officially dissolved after its leader Shatigadud had joined the Transitional Federal Parliament in November 2004 and later became Minister of Finance in January 2005 in the Transitional Federal Government (TFG),

3311-535: The cities and towns were abandoned or destroyed: The Ajuran Empire relied on agriculture and trade for most of its income. Major agricultural towns were located on the Shebelle and Jubba rivers , including Kismayo and Afgooye . Situated at the junction of some of the busiest medieval trade routes, the Ajuran and its clients were active participants in the East African gold trade , the Silk Road commerce , trade in

3388-711: The city in July 1913. During the British military occupation (1941–1950), the Bardaale Quarter, where Somali clients and employees of the British lived, was the stronghold of the Somali Youth League ; the rest of the city was held by the members of the Hizbiya Digil-Mirifle. With an agro-pastoral economy, common livestock include goats and camels, with the main agricultural produce being sorghum. Pre- civil war Bay state

3465-514: The city is served by the University of Southern Somalia . After a considerable planning stage, the institution was established in 2007 by a group of Somali scholars and intellectuals. Inaugural classes began the following year, in August 2008. University representatives concurrently announced plans to develop four colleges: the College of Science, Agriculture, and Engineering, the College of Social Science,

3542-501: The city reached its golden age under Geledi Sultanate rule. It was crossroads of caravan trade. Baidoa city was surrounded with large walls with one fortified gate. It attracted many merchants and farmers from the benadir coast to settle in what came to be known as (Buula Benadir) (the Benadir quarter). Menelik II of Ethiopia invaded Baidoa in the late 19th century, but was pushed back under Sultan Osman Ahmed rule. The Italians occupied

3619-407: The city. Nevertheless, Tristão opted to storm and attempt to conquer the city, although every officer and soldier in his army opposed this, fearing certain defeat if they were to engage their opponents in battle. Tristão heeded their advice and sailed for Socotra instead. Over the next decades tensions remained high and the increased contact between Somali sailors and Ottoman corsairs worried

3696-543: The coastal markets, which generated enormous wealth for the merchants. Mogadishu, the center of a thriving weaving industry known as toob benadir (specialized for the markets in Egypt and Syria ), together with Merca and Barawa also served as transit stops for Swahili merchants from Mombasa and Malindi and for the gold trade from Kilwa . There were Jewish merchants from the Hormuz who brought their Indian textile and fruits to

3773-436: The deep interior so far adequately described. Baidoa is said to have solid stone and mortar walls ruins some four foot six inches high in places. This affirms the traditions that Baidoa during Ajuran was a large town and a trading hub center. Baidoa was captured by Sultan Ibrahim Adeer who defeated the Madanle section of Ajuran and expelled them from the region. The city population was eventually replaced by Mirifle and

3850-414: The inhabitants were ethnic Somali but there were also Yemeni , Persian , and Turkish minorities. The vast majority of the population adhered to Sunni Islam with a Shia minority. The Somali language was the most commonly spoken language while Arabic was prominently used for commercial and religious purposes. The traditional martial art Istunka , also known as Dabshid , was born during

3927-454: The interior of the State. The farming communities of the hinterland brought their products to the coastal cities, where they were sold to local merchants who maintained a lucrative foreign commerce with ships sailing to and coming from Arabia , India , Venice , Persia , Egypt , Portugal , and as far away as China . Vasco da Gama , who passed by Mogadishu in the 15th century noted that it

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4004-469: The landscapes of southern Somalia today are attributed to the Ajuran Empire's engineers, including a number of the pillar tomb fields, necropolises and ruined cities built in that era. During the Ajuran period, many regions and people in the southern part of the Horn of Africa converted to Islam because of the theocratic nature of the government. The royal family , the House of Garen, expanded its territories and established its hegemonic rule through

4081-471: The local Rahanweyn Resistance Army militia continued to engage the USC in the town's environs. In 1999, the RRA seized control of the wider Lower Shabelle, Gedo, Bay and Bakool provinces. The town and larger region gradually rebounded to become among the more stable areas in the south. In 2002, the RRA's leader Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud founded the Southwestern State of Somalia regional administration, with its headquarters in Baidoa. The creation of

4158-411: The local government, The Digil-Mirifle Supreme Governing Council, which was established in March 1995. Aideed completed the occupation of Reewin land by capturing Huddur in the Bakool Region. The RRA's first major task was to recruit, train, and arm young Reewin men and women. Former officers supervised the training and all Reewin clans contributed men, arms, and money. Early in 1996, the RRA attacked

4235-462: The local populace and soldiers resulted in the failure of the Portuguese to permanently occupy the city, and the inhabitants who had fled to the interior eventually returned and rebuilt the city. After Barawa , Tristão set sail for Mogadishu , the richest city on the East African coast. Word had spread of what had happened in Barawa, and a large troop mobilization took place. Many horsemen, soldiers and battleships in defense positions were guarding

4312-408: The majority of whom settled in the coastal provinces. Some migrated because of the instability in their respective regions, as was the case with the Hadhrami families from Yemen and the Muslims from Spain fleeing the Inquisition . Others came to conduct business or for religious purposes. Due to their strong tradition in religious learning, the new Muslim communities also enjoyed high status among

4389-459: The medieval period. With the centralized supervision of the Ajuran, farms in Afgooye , Kismayo and other areas in the Jubba and Shabelle valleys increased their productivity. A system of irrigation ditches known locally as Kelliyo fed directly from the Shebelle and Jubba rivers into the plantations where sorghum , maize , beans, grain and cotton were grown during the gu ( Spring in Somali) and xagaa ( Summer in Somali) seasons of

4466-478: The merchants of the Ajuran Empire did brisk business with traders from the following states: With their maritime pursuits, the Ajuran Empire established trading and diplomatic ties across the old world, especially in Asia, from being close allies of the grand power of the Ottomans to having cordial ties with the mighty Ming Dynasty , paving the way for merchants from Ajuran to embark on great maritime expeditions, as far away as Java and Vietnam . The ruler of

4543-469: The more important installations held by Aideed in Huddur and Baidoa. When reconciliation efforts, especially the Sodere Declaration and Cairo Accords, failed after the death of Aidid in a street fight and the succession of his son, " Aideed Junior ", the RRA insisted that it would not negotiate with those who occupied Reewin land. In October 1998, the RRA liberated Huddur and, by early November, Aideed's militia had retreated to Baidoa. This victory consolidated

4620-450: The new Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) and his two deputies, Sheikh Aden Madobe and Muhammad Ibrahim Habsade , who wished to continue to support the Transitional National Government (TNG). The conflict resulted in many deaths and calls for Shatigadud to step down as president. Habsade continued to meet with TNG leaders ostensibly with the hope of being part of the nascent national government. The warring leaders of

4697-425: The oldest on the continent, with Masjid Fakhr al-Din being one of the oldest mosques in Africa. Artistic carving was considered the craft of men similar to how the Somali textile industry was mainly a women's business. Amongst the nomads , carving, especially woodwork , was widespread and could be found on the most basic objects such as spoons, combs and bowls, but it also included more complex structures such as

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4774-402: The portable nomadic tent, the aqal . In the Merca area, various pillar tombs still exist, which local tradition holds were built in the 16th century, when the Ajuran Empire's naa'ibs governed the district. The empire left an extensive architectural legacy , being one of the major medieval Somali powers engaged in castle and fortress building. Many of the ruined fortifications dotting

4851-425: The ports of Merca and Barawa (which were out of the two powers' jurisdiction) to conduct their trade in safety. The Ajuran Empire was an influential Somali kingdom that held sway over several cities and towns in central and southern Somalia during the Middle Ages. With the fall of the Sultanate, a number of these settlements continued to prosper, eventually becoming major cities in present-day Somalia. A few of

4928-409: The reign of Ajuran. An annual tournament is still held every year for it in Afgooye . Carving, known in Somali as Qoris , was practiced in the coastal cities of the state. Many wealthy urbanites in the medieval period regularly employed the finest wood and marble carvers in Somalia to work on their interiors and houses. The carvings on the mihrabs and pillars of ancient Somali mosques are some of

5005-433: The revolts against Ajuran rulers. The loss of port cities and fertile farms meant that much needed sources of revenue were lost to the rebels. Somali maritime enterprise significantly declined after the collapse of the Ajuran Empire. However, other polities such as the Isaaq Sultanate , Geledi Sultanate , Majeerteen Sultanate , Sultanate of Hobyo , and the Dervish state in a way ensured its continuity. By 1700, there

5082-440: The saint Balad (who was known to have come from outside the Kingdom). The Ajuran gradually became a notable and respected empire. Around 1500, they rose to dominance in the interior of Banaadir region, after which they maintained a hegemony for approximately 150 years. The introduction of a great variety of technological innovations to the Somali territories are attributed to the empire, such as systems of dykes and dams on

5159-451: The soldiers were under the supervision of a military commander known as an emir . The coastal areas and the lucrative Indian Ocean trade were protected by a navy . The State collected tribute from the farmers in the form of harvested products like durra , sorghum and bun, and from the nomads, cattle, camels and goats. The collecting of tribute was done by a wazir . Luxury goods imported from foreign lands were also presented as gifts to

5236-456: The southern Somali coast at a time when the Ajurans were at the height of their power. The Garen rulers conducted several military expeditions known as the Gaal Madow Wars on the Oromo invaders, converting those that were captured to Islam . The Ajuran Empire slowly declined in power at the end of the 17th century. In this period the rulers of the empire abandoned Sharia , became oppressive and enacted heavy taxation. The dethronement of

5313-416: The town, the central authorities built an improved airport and inaugurated the Duduble Canal. The TFG later moved its temporary headquarters to Baidoa. In December 2006, Ethiopian troops entered Somalia to assist the TFG against the advancing Islamic Courts Union , initially winning the Battle of Baidoa . On 28 December 2006, the allied forces recaptured the capital from the ICU. The offensive helped

5390-449: The traditional Somali clan system, thereby making them more reliable. The soldiers were recruited from the inter-riverine area; other recruits came from the surrounding nomadic region. Arab , Persian and Turkish mercenaries were at times employed as well. In the early period, the army's weapons consisted of traditional Somali weapons such as swords , daggers , spears , battle axes , and bows . The Empire received assistance from

5467-409: The wells made it easier for the nomads to settle disputes by taking their queries to government officials who would act as mediators. Long distance caravan trade, a long-time practice in the Horn of Africa, continued unchanged in Ajuran times. Today, numerous ruined and abandoned towns throughout the interior of Somalia and the Horn of Africa are evidence of a once-booming inland trade network dating from

5544-463: Was a large city with houses of four or five storeys high and big palaces in its centre and many mosques with cylindrical minarets. In the 16th century, Duarte Barbosa noted that many ships from the Kingdom of Cambaya sailed to Mogadishu with cloths and spices for which they in return received gold , wax and ivory . Barbosa also highlighted the abundance of meat, wheat, barley, horses, and fruit on

5621-473: Was a medieval Muslim Empire in the Horn of Africa . Founded by Somali Sultans it ruled over large parts of the Horn of Africa during the Middle Ages via control over water. Its rise to prominence began during the 13th and 14th century. By the 15th century, the Ajuran were Africa's only ' Hydraulic empire'. Through a strong centralized administration and an aggressive military stance towards invaders,

5698-512: Was effectively no trace of Ajuran polity left in Baanadir . The Ajuran nobility used many of the typical Somali aristocratic and court titles , with the Garen rulers styled Imam . These leaders were the empire's highest authority, and counted multiple Sultans , Emirs , and Kings as clients or vassals . The Garen rulers also had seasonal palaces in Mareeg , Qelafo and Merca , important cities in

5775-404: Was founded at the edge of the main highlands known as magniafulka where the ll springs originate, a prime grazing area. Legend states that a bird pecked the ground with its beak and would signal people to come and discover the pristine land. The shrine of Obo Esherow, the patron Sufi mystic/saint of Baidoa, has been honoured for over four centuries. Baidoa and the broader Bay region is home to

5852-469: Was hit by record-breaking drought. According to the UNDP, the population of Baidoa was 370,000 in 2005. The city is situated at the center of one of the most densely populated areas in the nation. It is an ethnically and culturally diverse town, with many local residents originating from other parts of the country. Additionally, Baidoa is the heartland of Maay , an Afro-Asiatic language principally spoken by

5929-534: Was home to the largest camel population in Somalia, with above 1.3 million camels. Post independence, Baidoa would attract many international projects such as the Bay Agricultural Development Project. Baidoa incurred significant damage in the early 1990s, following the start of the civil war . In September 1995, United Somali Congress militia attacked and occupied the town. The Australian contingent of Unified Task Force UNISOM1 , running

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