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.
Bulo Marer | |
|---|---|
Town | |
  Bulo Marer Location.  Bulo Marer Bulo Marer (Somalia) | |
| Coordinates: 1°37′55″N 44°31′20″E / 1.63194°N 44.52222°E | |
| Country | Somalia |
| Region | Lower Shebelle |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Recent history
editIn November 2008, Bulo Marer was reported to have a protected water well.[3]
Capture by Al-Shabaab
editIn 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 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, 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.[9]
In April 2016, four civilians were killed when their vehicle was destroyed in Bulo Marer after they failed to follow military stop orders.[10]
In March 2019, Al-Shabaab carried out an attack on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base.[11]
In May 2023, Al-Shabaab attacked a base manned by Ugandan troops of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in Bulo Marer.[12] The Somalia government said 30 people were killed in the attack. Al-Shabaab said it killed 137 soldiers.[13] Uganda's president announced that 54 people were killed.[14]
Notes
edit- ^ French soldier killed in raid to free hostage in Somalia, Associated Press, January 12, 2013.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Food Security Analysis Unit (2008). "MIDDLE AND LOWER SHABELLE IDPs, AGROPASTORAL AND RIVERINE LIVELIHOOD SYSTEMS / SHABELLE VALLEY REGIONS, SOMALIA" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Islamic insurgents seize key Somali towns". CNN. 2008-11-11. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Man who may have helped terror group gets time served". CTV News. 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "French secret service hostage and soldiers killed in Somali rescue mission". The Guardian. 2013-01-12. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "SOMALIA / BULO MARER LIBERATION". Unifeed. 2014-09-01. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Taliska AMISOM oo ka hadashay Afar qof oo ciidamadoodu ay ku dileen dulleedka Buulo-mareer". Hiiraan online. 2016-04-17. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Dagaal ciidamada dowladda iyo Al-shabaab ku dhaxmaray gobolka Shabeellaha Hoose". Hiiraan online. 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Al-Shabab attacks AU peacekeeper mission base in Somalia". Al Jazeera. 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Deadly Battle Underway in Central Somalia After Al-Shabab Attack". VOA. 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "We lost 54 soldiers in Bulo Marer attack-President Museveni". Goobjoog News English. 2023-06-04. Retrieved 2023-06-09.