20091228
allafrica

The year started with much hope for peace and stability in the chaotic central and southern Somalia, which was largely hit by wave of violence. new presidents took power as elections held for the Federal Government and Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland.

On January 8, the parliament of Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland on elected Abdirahman Mohammed Farole as the new president to replace the incumbent president Mohammed Musa Hirsi.

Mohammed Farole, a former Finance minister and an opposition figure got 49 votes out of 66 house members vote, defeating eight other contenders in the historic presidential election.

He becomes the fourth president of the Puntland that declared its semi-autonomy from Somalia almost 11 years ago.

In the chaotic Somalia, the year started with the withdrawal of US-backed Ethiopian troops who invaded the war-torn country in late 2006 to oust then powerful Union of Islamic Courts, which controlled most of the country's south and central including the capital Mogadishu.

Shortly after the withdrawal, on February 1 Somali lawmakers who were meeting in neighbouring Djibouti for reconciliation talks elected new president after the resignation of Abdullahi Yussuf Ahmed late in 2008.

Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the leader of Djibouti-based Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia was elected in a landslide victory, defeating then Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and Maslah Mohammed Siad, the son of late Mohammed Siad Bare.

Sharif joined the government after participating in an international-backed peace process, which allowed some of his ARS's members to join the bloated parliament.

The election of Sheikh Sharif was followed by days of bloodshed which the insurgents fighting the foreign forces in Somalia launched attacks to declare their stand, fighting that claimed the lives of at least 70 people.

Al-Shabaab, then a military wing for UIC declared holy war against African Union troops mainly from Burundi and Uganda.

Hizbul Islam, another insurgent group that was hurriedly formed after the election of Sheikh Sharif Ahmed as the new president of Somalia, declared its opposition to the new government.

The group is a coalition comprising of Asmara-wing ARS, Mu'askhar Ras Kamboni (Ras Kamboni Brigade) and Anole and Jabhatul Islamiya ("Islamic Front")

Its leaders include Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the leader of Asmara wing of Alliance for Reliberation of Somalia and ally turn enemy of Sharif who was then in self-imposed exile in Eritrea.

On February 13, Ahmed officially announced the former Somali president's son, Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke as the new Prime Minister after weeks of consultations in neighbouring Djibouti.

The PM named his cabinet and together with his some his ministers and lawmakers returned to the bullet-riddled capital for the first time in nearly two decades as a Somali leader.

The same month, On February 22, a double suicide bomb attack on an African Union troops' base in Mogadishu left 11 Burundian soldiers dead and another 15 wounded.

On March, the rebellion against Ahmed's administration intensified after Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden called for his ouster in an audio recording published on the internet.

On 28 April, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys returned to the war-torn country for the first time since late 2006, when he fled the powerful Ethiopian invasion.

In Puntland, on April 30, President Farole released his government's first-ever report covering the administration's successes and plans in the first 100 days since his election as the fourth elected president of Puntland.

In the report dubbed "100 Days in Office report," the president highlighted the overall government reform and strengthening the capacity of the Presidency by appointing imperative ministers, namely Democratization Process and Federal Relations; for Good Governance.

On May 7, Puntland unveiled a new constitution after years of review process. The parliament unanimously passed the 2009 budget after six days of negotiations.

Back in the war-torn Mogadishu, The ultimatum rebel onslaught against fragile UN-backed Somali government started On May 7, when a joined force of Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam narrowed down the government's grip in the capital to only the presidential palace Villa Somalia.

A month later, Ahmed declared state of emergency in the country and asked neighbouring countries to send troops to help his weak government thwart rebels.

The month also saw defection of some pro-government UIC commanders to rebel forces.

On June, Puntland President Farole toured Washington, D.C., and London, where he gave speeches at the U.S. Congress and the Chatham House think-tank, respectively. He also held meetings with Puntland Diaspora.

On July 17, Somali gunmen kidnapped two French security advisors working for the Somali government. Later in the year, the kidnappers released one of the men while the whereabouts of the other remains mystery.

The next day, on June 18, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the Medina Hotel in central Somali town of Beledweyne, killing 35 people, among them Omar Hashi Aden, Somalia's Security Minister.

On August 22, Puntland President Dr. Mohammed Farole inked harmonised accord with Somali government delegation led by Prime Minister Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke In Galkayo town.

The accord would allow the two governments to work together under a federal umbrella and share the benefits.

US Special Forces aboard air-bone Helicopters carried out air raid On September 15 near Somali coastal town of Barawe, killing six, including a key Al-Qaida member, Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan.

Al-Qaeda inspired Al-Shabaab insurgents vowed to revenge the death of Nabhan.

Two days later, two suicide car bombs struck headquarters of the African Union force in Mogadishu, killing 21 people, mostly Burundian soldiers. Among the dead was the AMISOM deputy commander Burundian Maj. Gen. Juvenal Niyonguruza. AMISOM commander Gen. Nathan Mugisha, from Uganda was also injured in the attack.

In late September, the two main insurgent groups (Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam) disagreed over the formation of an Islamic administration for Kismayo, a lucrative southern Somali port city that fuels insurgent activities across the war-torn country.

Hizbul Islam accused their ally-turn enemy Al-Shabaab of unilaterally formed a new administration for the port city, leading to all out war that killed dozens and displaced hundreds of families.

The disintegration further escalated into conflict between the two groups over southern regions of Juba, where they both had control of large swathes.

The ultimatum blow to Hizbul Islam came on October and November when they were ousted from mainly strategic southern border towns of Afmadow, Dhobley, forcing their fighters and top commanders to flee to neighbouring Kenya.

November 13, Somali TFG Puntland officials met in Nairobi in a bid to harmonise the Galkayo accord but disagreement emerged.

The two presidents, namely Ahmed and Farole agreed to form a committee to look into the issues but the day ended with disarray as both parties stick to their demands with Puntland vowing not to back down.

The shocker of the year came on December 3 when a suicide bomber disguised as women blew himself up in the middle of a graduation ceremony held in Mogadishu's Shamo hotel, killing more than 24 people, including three Somali ministers and two journalists.

Dozens others, mostly innocent students and parents where injured in the attack, which attracted outrage and condemnation from in and outside the country.

The suspicion immediately fell on Al-Shabaab, but the group's Spokesman Sheikh Mohammud Ali Raghe rejected any connection with the bombing.

The man was later identified as a Danish-Somali man aged 26 who reportedly had connection with Al-Shabaab insurgent group.

December also saw the unveiling of Puntland's new flag, which consists of three colors: white, blue and green.

The year ends with misery and hopelessness for millions of Somalis who are internally displaced and largely depend on humanitarian food aid.

On the high seas of the war-torn country, the piracy scourge saw its upsurge with more than 14 ships and over 200 crews under the hands of ransom-hunting pirates.