Afmadow

Afmadow (Somali: Afmadoow) is a city in southern Somalia, located in the middle of the Juba region and bordered by Kenya, Badhadhe, Kismayo, Jamame, Jilib, Hagar, Bardhere and Elwaq in Somalia, 401 km southwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is home to a wide variety of wild animals, including the Big Five game. The vegetation in Afmadow consists of rich grassland, bounded by semi-desert. It is located northwest of Kismayo. Distance between Afmadow and Kismayo is 110 kilometers or 68 miles.[2]

Afmadow
An overview of Afmadow taken by the satellite
Flag
Afmadow
Location in Somalia
Coordinates: 0°30′56″N 42°4′24″E
Country Somalia
State Jubaland
DistrictAfmadow District
Area
 • Total27 sq mi (70 km2)
Population
 • Estimate 
(2011)
70,000−90,000
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Divisions
  1. Waamo
  2. Faanoole
  3. Danwadaag

Sub-Divisions
  1. Bulowein
  2. Bulo-Dano
  3. Abaq-Baanboow
  4. Adablaha
  5. Hodan
  6. Afarsaha
  7. Cameroon
  8. Barxada
  9. Baldoos
  10. Adoole
  11. Bulo-Gumar

History

The town was captured in 2006 by the Islamic Court Union as were the other districts in the region during the civil war.[3]

On 21 November 2009, the Islamist Al-Shabab militia took control of Afmadow, causing hundreds of families and also western aid workers to flee in fear of violence, after another Islamist group, Hizbul Islam, left a day earlier, allowing Al-Shabab to move in without much resistance.

Tension had been building between both militia since the former allies fell out in October in Kismayo, leading to fighting and Al-Shabab taking Kismayo in October 2009.[4]

On 18 October 2011, eyewitnesses reported that Kenyan jets were flying low over the city and al-Shabab was preparing entrenchment systems to defend against an expected attack by the Kenya Army as part of the Kenyan intervention in Somalia.[5] But at the time, the government in Mogadishu was denying the presence of Kenyan troops in Somalia.

On 31 May 2012, it was reported that the Jubaland security forces backed KDF captured the city, as al-Shabab abandoned the town without fighting.[6]

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2011-01-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Distance Between Cities Places On Map Distance Calculator". www.distancefromto.net. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  3. "Somalia: Islamic Courts Attain Afmadow in Lower Jubba Region". All Africa. October 3, 2006.(Subscription required.)
  4. "Somalia: Mass exodus as militia takes control of southern town" 24 November 2009
  5. "Kenya troops 'advance into Somalia near Afmadow'". BBC. 2011-10-18. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
  6. "Somalia forces capture key al-Shabab town of Afmadow". BBC. 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2012-05-31.

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