Battle of Baidoa

Battle of Baidoa
Part of the Somalia War (2006–2009)
Map of the military advances during the battle
Date 20–26 December 2006 Location Bay, Somalia 3°4′28″N 43°50′7″E / 3.07444°N 43.83528°E / 3.07444; 43.83528 Result TFG/Ethiopian Victory Beginning of a new phase of the Somali Civil War
Belligerents
Islamic Courts Union	Transitional Federal Government  Ethiopia[1][2]
Strength
5,000+ Islamist militia	3,000+ TFG militia, 5,000+ Ethiopian soldiers
Casualties and losses
1,000 Islamists dead[3] 800+ wounded[4]	400 killed (Islamists claim)[5]
class=notpageimage| Location within Somalia Show map of Somalia Battle of Baidoa (Africa) Show map of Africa

The Battle of Baidoa began on 20 December 2006 when the Somali transitional federal government forces (TFG) allied with Ethiopian forces stationed there attacked advancing Islamic Courts Union (ICU) forces along with 500 alleged Eritrean troops and mujahideen arrayed against them.

The battle began with most reports depicting the government forces defecting and its position on the verge of collapse. The TFG, along with its allies in the Juba Valley Alliance (JVA), had certainly been on the retreat since the June offensives of the ICU. By the opening of the battle in December, Baidoa was invested with attacks coming in at least three directions.

Strong Ethiopian reinforcements rapidly changed the battle from one in which the TFG was on the defensive, through a strong series of counterattacks, to a decisive Ethiopian/TFG victory. Ethiopian armor, artillery, and air forces proved instrumental against the ICU's militia. The battle began the Ethiopian intervention against the ICU, in the 2006–2009 War in Somalia.