Guriel (Somali: Guriceel, Arabic: جرعيل, جوري عيل ) is the second largest city in the central Galguduud region of Somalia located in Galmudug state. The city serves as the capital of the Guriel District.

Guriel
Guriceel
جرعيل
City
Guriel is located in Somalia
Guriel
Guriel
Location in Somalia
Coordinates: 5°18′32″N 45°52′55″E / 5.30889°N 45.88194°E / 5.30889; 45.88194
Country Somalia
State Galmudug
RegionGalguduud
DistrictGuriel
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council-Commission
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Conflict

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This city has been in conflict since the fall of the former Somali government in 1991. In 2006, the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), a militant Islamic organization, took control of most of central Somalia. Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, supported by Ethiopia, defeated the ICU in late 2006.[1]

In 2007, Al-Shabaab, another Islamic extremist group born in southern Somalia, attacked Guriel, but the local paramilitary group Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a (ASWJ), born in response, took control of Guriel in 2010.[2]

However, the conflict between ASWJ and Al-Shabaab did not stop after that, and the Ethiopian army also intervened in the conflict.[3][4] In addition to that, Galmudug, a regional government created in central Somalia, joined the conflict in the name of Somali government forces.[5][6]

In October 2021, another battle broke out between ASWJ and Galmudug, displacing most of the inhabitants of Guriel (5,000 houses, 20,000 people).[7][8] Both the main hospital and the community hospital were destroyed by fire and shelling.[9]

By the end of the year, an estimated 120 people had died in this recent spate of fighting.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Mapping Militants team, Stanford (2016-03-30). "Islamic Courts Union". Retrieved 2021-11-06.
  2. ^ "Degmada Guriceel ee gobolka Galguduud waxaa maanta lagu soo gebagebeeyay shir maalmahan halkaas uga socday ururka Ahlu-sunna wal jamaaca oo lagu doortay maamul cusub". BBC. 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  3. ^ "Somalia: Ethiopian Troops Reach Guriceel in Their Dozens". allafrica.com. 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  4. ^ "Somalia: Guriceel District Administration Pledge Their Alliance With Ethiopian Troops". allafrica.com. 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  5. ^ "DOWLADDA SOOMAALIYA IYO AHLUSUNNA OO KU DAGAALLAMAY DHUUSAMAREEB IYO GURICEEL". puntlandpost.net. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  6. ^ "Ahlu-sunna oo qabsaday magaalada Guriceel". voasomali.com. 2021-10-01. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  7. ^ "Dagaal u dhaxeeya Ciidamada Dowladda iyo Ahlusuna oo ka socda Guriceel". horseedmedia.net. 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  8. ^ "James Swan: 100 Kun Qof ayaa ku Qaxxay dagaalka Guriceel". goobjoog.com. 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  9. ^ "Somalia: Caught between drought and fighting". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-01-05.
  10. ^ Schipani, Andres (2021-12-29). "Somalia conflict escalates: 'We know al-Shabaab will take advantage'". Financial Times. Retrieved 2022-01-05.
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