Buulo Mareer
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Bulo Marer
|other_name = Buulo Mareer, Bulla Marer, Bula Mareer, Bulo Barer, Bulomarer
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|settlement_type = Town
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|pushpin_map = Lower Shebelle#Somalia
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
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|pushpin_map_caption = Location.
|pushpin_relief = 1
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Somalia
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = Lower Shebelle
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|timezone = EAT
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|coordinates = {{coord|1|37|55|N|44|31|20|E|region:SO-LS|display=inline,title}}
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Bulo Marer ({{langx|so|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.[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/01/12/french-soldier-killed-somalia-raid/1828495/ French soldier killed in raid to free hostage in Somalia], Associated Press, January 12, 2013.
The town was taken by Somali government forces assisted by AMISOM troops after a battle on August 30, 2014.{{cite news|title=Somali, AU troops squeeze Al Shabaab militants out of Bulo Marer|url=http://www.garoweonline.com/page/show/post/242/somali-au-troops-squeeze-al-shabaab-militants-out-of-bulo-marer|accessdate=31 August 2014|agency=Garowe Online|date=30 August 2014|archive-date=4 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904181907/http://www.garoweonline.com/page/show/post/242/somali-au-troops-squeeze-al-shabaab-militants-out-of-bulo-marer|url-status=dead}} It was the site of the 2024 African Union base attack in Bulo Marer.
Hon Abshir Mumin and Feysal Cholera are two notable figures from Bulomareer, noting that Feysal currently leads all Bulomareerians in Mogadishu, the capital city.
Recent history
In November 2008, Bulo Marer was reported to have a protected water well.{{Cite web |author=Food Security Analysis Unit |year=2008 |url=https://fsnau.org/downloads/Shabelle%20Nutrition%20Assessment%20Report%20November%202008.pdf|title=MIDDLE AND LOWER SHABELLE IDPs, AGROPASTORAL AND RIVERINE LIVELIHOOD SYSTEMS / SHABELLE VALLEY REGIONS, SOMALIA |accessdate=2023-06-09}}
=Capture by Al-Shabaab=
In November 2008, the Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab occupied Bulo Marer.{{Cite news |newspaper=CNN|date=2008-11-11 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/11/somalia.towns.seized/|title=Islamic insurgents seize key Somali towns |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}
A photo showing al-Shabaab soldiers in Bulo Marer was published in 2008.{{Cite news |newspaper=CTV News |date=2010-06-04 |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/man-who-may-have-helped-terror-group-gets-time-served-1.519408|title=Man who may have helped terror group gets time served |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}
In January 2013, the French-United States military attempted unsuccessfully to rescue hostages from Al-Shabaab in Bulo Marer.{{Cite web |author=United Nations |year=2014 |url=https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/S_2014_726.pdf|title=Report of the Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea pursuant to Security Council resolution 2111 (2013): Somalia |accessdate=2023-06-09}}
{{Cite news |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2013-01-12 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/12/french-hostage-soldiers-killed-somalia|title=French secret service hostage and soldiers killed in Somali rescue mission |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}
In April 2014, the Tunni clan of Bulo Marer reportedly provided food to Al-Shabaab.{{Cite news |newspaper=Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |date=2014-12-22 |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/551d08124.html|title=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) |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}
In May 2014, 3 alleged spies for the Somali and Ethiopian governments were publicly executed in a park in Bulo Marer.{{cite news |title=SOMALIA: AL SHABAAB EXECUTES THREE MEN IN LOWER SHABELLE REGION |url=https://www.handsoffcain.info/archivio_news/201405.php?iddocumento=18304951&mover=0 |access-date=26 December 2024 |publisher=Hands Off Cain |date=29 May 2014}}
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.
File:2014 08 31 Buulomareer-8 (14905535800).jpg
In August 2014, Somali armed forces and African Union (AU) forces occupied Bulo Marer. Until then, Al-Shabaab had made Bulo Marer one of its key strongholds, robbing travelers and collecting taxes from residents.{{Cite news |newspaper=Unifeed |date=2014-09-01 |url=https://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/unifeed/asset/1157/1157824/|title=SOMALIA / BULO MARER LIBERATION |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}
In April 2016, four civilians were killed when their vehicle was destroyed in Bulo Marer after they failed to follow military stop orders.{{Cite news |newspaper=Hiiraan online |date=2016-04-17 |url=https://www.hiiraan.com/news/2016/apr/wararka_maanta17-95599.htm|title=Taliska AMISOM oo ka hadashay Afar qof oo ciidamadoodu ay ku dileen dulleedka Buulo-mareer |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}
In March 2019, Al-Shabaab carried out an attack on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base.{{Cite news |newspaper=Hiiraan online |date=2019-03-21 |url=https://hiiraan.com/news/2019/mar/wararka_maanta21-159510.htm|title=Dagaal ciidamada dowladda iyo Al-shabaab ku dhaxmaray gobolka Shabeellaha Hoose |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}
In May 2023, Al-Shabaab attacked a base manned by Ugandan troops of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in Bulo Marer.{{Cite news |newspaper=Al Jazeera |date=2023-05-26 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/26/al-shabab-attacks-au-peacekeeper-mission-base-in-somalia|title=Al-Shabab attacks AU peacekeeper mission base in Somalia |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}} The Somalia government said 30 people were killed in the attack. Al-Shabaab said it killed 137 soldiers.{{Cite news |newspaper=VOA |date=2023-05-30 |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/deadly-battle-underway-in-central-somalia-after-al-shabab-attack/7115792.html|title=Deadly Battle Underway in Central Somalia After Al-Shabab Attack |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}} Uganda's president announced that 54 people were killed.{{Cite news |newspaper=Goobjoog News English |date=2023-06-04 |url=https://goobjoog.com/english/we-lost-54-soldiers-in-bulo-marer-attack-president-museveni/|title=We lost 54 soldiers in Bulo Marer attack-President Museveni |accessdate=2023-06-09|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}
In July 2024, public outrage ensued in Bulo Marer after 3 farmers were shot, and 2 were killed and beheaded by Ugandan ATMIS soldiers. Al-Shabaab broadcast in a radio message that they vowed to retaliate for the farmers' deaths. There was no immediate response from ATMIS or the Somali government.{{cite news |title=Outrage After Ugandan AU Soldiers Allegedly Kill and Behead Farmers in Bulo Marer |url=https://hornobserver.com/articles/2856/Outrage-After-Ugandan-AU-Soldiers-Allegedly-Kill-and-Behead-Farmers-in-Bulo-Marer |access-date=26 December 2024 |publisher=Horn Observer |date=18 July 2024}}
Notes
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References
- [http://www.geographic.org/geographic_names/name.php?uni=-4557523&fid=5781&c=somalia Buulo Mareer]