Raskamboni Movement
{{short description|Jihadist Islamic movement in Somalia and Kenya founded in 2009}}
{{Infobox war faction
| name = Raskamboni Movement
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| war = Somali Civil War
| image = 200px
| caption =
| active = Since 7 October 2009
| ideology = Islamism
Pan-Islamism
Jihadism
| leaders = Sheikh Ahmed Madobe{{cite web|url=http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=19079&tirsan=3 |title=Pro-government forces seize Dif residence close to Kenya-border|publisher=Mareeg.com|accessdate=15 October 2014}} [Chairman]
Maalim Mohamud [Deputy Chairman]
| clans = Ogaden
| headquarters = Kismayo{{cite web|url=http://dissidentnation.com/ras-kamboni-leader-appointed-to-run-kismayo-during-transition/|title=Dissident Nation » Maintenance Mode|publisher=Dissidentnation.com|accessdate=15 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925114249/http://dissidentnation.com/ras-kamboni-leader-appointed-to-run-kismayo-during-transition/|archive-date=25 September 2013}}
| area = Jubaland
| size = <1,000 (2010){{cite web|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/02/shabaab_absorbs_sout.php|title=Shabaab absorbs southern Islamist group, splits Hizbul Islam|date=February 2010 |publisher=LOngwarjournal.org|accessdate=15 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://somalitalkradio.com/2010/mar/un_report_somalia.pdf |title=Letter dated 10 March 2010 from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009) concerning Somalia and Eritrea addressed to the President of the Security Council |pages=16 & 17|accessdate=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524221930/http://somalitalkradio.com/2010/mar/un_report_somalia.pdf|archive-date=24 May 2010|url-status=live}}
| partof =
| predecessor = {{flagicon image|Flag of Jihad.svg}} Ras Kamboni Brigades
| successor =
| allies = {{flagicon|Somalia}} Federal Government of Somalia
{{flagicon image|Flag of Ahlu Sunnah Waljamaca.svg}} Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Organization of African Unity (1970-2002).jpg}} AMISOM
| opponents = {{flagicon image|ShababFlag.svg}} Harakat al-Shabaab Mujahideen
{{flag|al-Qaeda}}
Barre Hiiraale militia
| battles =
| url =
}}
The Raskamboni Movement ({{Langx|so|Xarakada Raaskambooni}}) is a jihadist Islamic movement led by Sheikh Ahmed Madobe, the current president of the Jubaland state in southern Somalia. After fighting with Al-Shabaab they managed to capture Kismayo with the help of Kenya.
History
Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia - Asmara wing (ARS-A) and JABISO militias, which were aligned with al-Shabaab in Hiiraan and Mogadishu refused to support the Ras Kamboni Brigades, meanwhile Muaskar Anole remained neutral. The fighting led to a split within the Ras Kamboni Brigades, with a faction led by Ahmed Madoobe fighting against al-Shabaab and a faction led by Hassan al-Turki siding with al-Shabaab.
The Battle of Kismayo was won by al-Shabaab, which then expelled Madobe's Ras Kamboni Brigades from the city.{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200912090585.html |title=Somalia: Al-Shabaab's Encirclement Strategy |publisher=allAfrica.com |date=8 December 2009 |accessdate=19 August 2010}} In the battles that followed, in November 2009, Madobe's forces were overpowered by al-Shabaab and its local allies. It was then forced to withdraw from the Lower Jubba region and most of southern Somalia. In February 2010, al-Turki's branch declared a merger with al-Shabaab.
On 20 December 2010, Hizbul Islam merged with al-Shabaab{{cite web |url=http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20101223/tts-uk-somalia-conflict-ca02f96.html |title= Somalia's Shabaab threatens Uganda, Burundi attacks - Yahoo! News UK|website=uk.news.yahoo.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227112053/http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20101223/tts-uk-somalia-conflict-ca02f96.html |archive-date=27 December 2010}} and the Raskamboni movement then allied with Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a and the Transitional Federal Government.{{Cite journal|last=Thomas|first=Matthew J.|date=2013-07-01|title=Exposing and exploiting weaknesses in the merger of Al-Qaeda and Al-Shabaab|journal=Small Wars & Insurgencies|volume=24|issue=3|pages=413–435|doi=10.1080/09592318.2013.802611|s2cid=143419941|issn=0959-2318}}{{cite news
|url=http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=14895&tirsan=3
|title=Somalia: Prominent Islamist leader joins Sufis
|work=Mareeg Online
|accessdate=26 March 2011
}}
The Raskamboni engaged al-Shabab militiamen on March 13, 2011, in the village of Dif. The movement claimed to have destroyed a number of Al-Shabaab military vehicles in the fighting,{{cite web|url=http://www.shabelle.net/article.php?id=4475|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110724062540/http://www.shabelle.net/article.php?id=4475|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 24, 2011|title=Shabelle Media Network : Shabakada Warbaahinta Shabelle|publisher=Shabelle.net|accessdate=15 October 2014}} which left at least five dead.{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201103130022.html |title=Somalia: Fighting Rocks Parts of Jubba Region in Southern Region|publisher=Allafrica.com|accessdate=15 October 2014}}
On April 3, 2011, the Raskamboni movement, in conjunction with Transitional Federal Government forces and the Kenyan Air Force, captured the border town Dhobley from Al-Shabab.{{cite web | author=Hiiraan Online | title=Government Forces Capture Dhobley Town | url=http://hiiraan.com/news2/2011/Apr/government_forces_capture_dhobley_town.aspx | accessdate=April 5, 2011 }}{{cite web | author=Shabelle Media Network | title=Somali govt confiscates Dhobley after days of fighting | url=http://shabelle.net/article.php?id=5178 | accessdate=April 5, 2011 | url-status=usurped| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723071634/http://shabelle.net/article.php?id=5178 | archive-date=July 23, 2011 }}
In July 2012, it was reported that they staged a rescue operation to free four kidnapped aid workers from the Norwegian Refugee Council.{{cite news|last=STRAZIUSO|first=JASON|title=Canadian aid workers rescued after gunfight in Somalia|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/canadian-aid-workers-rescued-after-gunfight-in-somalia/article4384448/|accessdate=2 July 2012|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=2 July 2012|agency=Associated Press|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702181549/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/canadian-aid-workers-rescued-after-gunfight-in-somalia/article4384448/|archive-date=2 July 2012}}
In September 2012, a reconstituted Somali National Army assisted by AMISOM troops and Raskamboni militia reportedly re-captured Kismayo from Al-Shabaab insurgents during the Battle of Kismayo (2012).{{cite news|title=Kenyan forces attack last remaining stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/kenyan-forces-attack-last-remaining-stronghold-of-al-qaida-linked-militants-in-somalia/2012/09/28/c6905994-0937-11e2-9eea-333857f6a7bd_story.html|accessdate=28 September 2012|newspaper=Associated Press|date=28 September 2012}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite news|last=Chonghaile|first=Clar Ni|title=Kenyan troops launch beach assault on Somali city of Kismayo|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/28/kenyan-soldiers-capture-kismayo-somalia|accessdate=28 September 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=28 September 2012}}
In February 2014, Al-Shabaab militants launched a string of attacks in Kismayo targeting Raskamboni members, including an IED that tore through a vehicle carrying the group's members and killed several civilians.Keydmedia: [http://www.keydmedia.net/en/news/article/somalia_kismayo_residents_fear_new_clan_fighting/ Somalia: Kismayo residents fear new clan fighting] On 19 February, Raskamboni militants began an intensive search operation in the city after the group's security chief, Isse Kamboni, was shot dead by one of his bodyguards, a former Al-Shabaab member. According to eye-witnesses, Raskamboni subsequently started hunting down Al-Shabaab suspects. Many Raskomboni fighters were seen patrolling the streets, and more than 150 civilians were detained at the local police stations in connection with Isse's assassination. Seven civilian deaths were also reported during the clampdown with some accusing the militia of using the clampdown as an excuse to stifle dissent.Keydmedia: [http://www.keydmedia.net/en/news/article/ras_kamboni_tribal_militias_begin_launching_retaliation_attacks_on_civ/ Ras Kamboni, tribal militias begin launching retaliation attacks on civilians in Kismayo] Hundreds of elders and businessmen had earlier fled the city.Keydmedia: [http://www.keydmedia.net/en/news/article/killings_criminal_acts_are_becoming_more_widespread_in_kismayo/ Somalia: Killings, Criminal acts are becoming more widespread in Kismayo]
See also
References
{{Commons category|Raskamboni Movement}}
{{Reflist}}
Category:Factions in the Somali Civil War