Battle of Bargal (2007)
The Battle of Bargal occurred in June 2007 around the town of Bargal in the northern province of Bari, in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.
Battle of Bargal | |||||||
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Part of the War in Somalia (2006–2009) Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa | |||||||
Somalia, Bargal is at the right hand tip of the Horn. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Islamic Courts Union |
Puntland United States | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
12-35 insurgents |
Land: unknown militia Sea: 1 destroyer | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
12 killed |
Puntland: 5 wounded United States: None |
Battle
On May 30, between 12 and 35 heavily armed Islamist fighters arrived in two fishing boats from southern Somalia and clashed with local troops. On June 1, a United States Navy warship, the USS Chafee, shelled hills around Bargal where Islamist militants were reported to have set up a base. The target of the shelling may have been an al-Qaeda operative who the United States believed was involved in the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
According to the Puntland regional government, as many as a dozen fighters including Somali militants as well as British nationals, Americans, Swedish, Pakistanis and Yemenis were killed in these operations, and five government troops were injured.