Beledweyne
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| Beledweyne Beletweeyne بلد وين |
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  Beledweyne
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| Coordinates: 4°44′10″N 45°12′14″E / 4.73611°N 45.20389°E | |
| Country |  Somalia |
| Somalia | Hiraan |
| District | |
| Population | |
| - Total | 700,000 to 1.6 million |
| Time zone | East Africa Time (UTC+3) |
Beledweyne (Somali: Beledweyne, Arabic: بلد وين) is a city in central Somalia. It is the capital of the Hiraan province, and is located in the central valley of the Shebelle river near the Ogaden, some 206 miles (332 km) north of Mogadishu, the nation's capital. The Shebelle river divides the town into east and west. By area, Beledweyne is the third largest city in Somalia, and the second largest in terms of population after Mogadishu.
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[edit] History
Beledweyne is one of the oldest cities in Somalia, and the city where the first generation of modern Somali politicians have their roots, from Aden Abdullah Osman Daar to Mohamed Farah Aidid. Following the relocation of his capital to Taleex in 1909, Mohammed Abdullah Hassan and his Dervish forces constructed a fort here to consolidate his control over the Ogaden[1]
After the death of Hasan Qalaad, Mr. Abdullahi Abdi Aaden (Koofi) was in charge of the town until the transitional Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed nominated Yusuf Ahmed Hagar (also known as Yusuf Mohamud Hagar ("Dabageed")[2]) as the new governor of the region. He had been forced to flee by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) whose forces, under the command of Yusuf Makaraan took the town in August 2006 and established a sharia court under Sheik Farah Moalim.[3][4] Though "Dabageed" returned to the town following the Battle of Beledweyne, on January 1, 2007, Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed declared Hussein Mohamud Moalim as new administrator for Hiiran region, replacing Dabageed, and Saleyman Ahmed Hilowle was nominated as assistant administrator.[5]
[edit] Districts
Beledweyne consists of four main districts:
- Oktoobar (Buundoweyn)
- Howlwadaag
- Kooshin
- Xaawotaako
[edit] Climate
Beledweyne is situated 1.700 meters above sea level. It is one of the coldest areas in Somalia, with the climate changing throughout the year. Between March and April, the average daily maximum temperature in the city is 22°C. In December, the average daily maximum temperature is 11°C.
| Weather data for Beledweyne,Somalia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Average high °C (°F) | 20 (68) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
22 (72) |
22 (71) |
19 (67) |
17 (63) |
18 (64) |
19 (66) |
19 (67) |
19 (67) |
19 (67) |
|
| Average low °C (°F) | 12 (53) |
12 (54) |
14 (57) |
14 (58) |
14 (58) |
13 (56) |
13 (55) |
12 (54) |
13 (55) |
12 (54) |
11 (52) |
11 (51) |
|
| Source: Weather Underground[6] Mar 2008 | |||||||||||||
[edit] Battle of Beledweyne
Beledweyne is considered a strategically important town. In the 1970s, it was a staging area for the Western Somali Liberation Front (WSLF), which sought to liberate the Ogaden region and annex it to form a Greater Somalia.
During the War in Somalia (2006-2009), the internationally-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG), supported by Ethiopian troops, took the town from the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). However, by the end 2008, the radical Islamist Al-Shabaab movement had retaken all of the city in addition to much of southern Somalia.
Tensions resurfaced as a result of a suicide bombing in the city on June 18, 2009. The explosion was caused by a car bomb that detonated near the Medina Hotel and it killed 20 people, including National Security Minister Omar Hashi Aden. Authorities suspect the attack was implemented by Al-Shabab, which is backed by al-Qaida.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ Said S. Samatar, Oral Poetry and Somali Nationalism (Cambridge: University Press, 1982), pp. 133
- ^ "Anti ICU lost key towns in Somalia". SomaliNet. December 25, 2006. http://www.somalinet.com/news/world/Somalia/6127. Retrieved 2006-12-25.
- ^ Somalia's Conflict Enters a Phase of Duress PINR
- ^ Islamic leader in key Somali town says 'the world better learn who we are' Associated Press
- ^ Somali president nominates a new administrator for Hiran region Shabelle Media Network
- ^ "Seasonal Weather Averages : Weather Underground". Weather Underground. 2007. http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayIntlNORMS.asp?CityCode=63450&Units=both&MR=1. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
- ^ [1]
Coordinates: 4°44′9.5″N 45°12′14.3″E / 4.735972°N 45.203972°E
