General information
Part of Conflict: Somalia: Government
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 2009-02-04
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: On 4 February 2009, Sheikh Hassan Mahdi, a senior member of ARS/UIC (Asmara faction) announced the merger of four Islamist groups – ARS/UIC-Asmara faction, Harakat Ras Kamboni, Jabhatul Islamiya and Anole – to create the new opposition alliance Hizbul Islam. According to Sheikh Hassan Mahdi, the merger followed many meetings among the groups, which have “united to continue the jihad and to rule the country under Islamic law”. The following week, as the new transitional government president arrived in Mogadishu, Hizbul Islam’s newly appointed chairman, Dr. Omar Iman, stated that “the jihad is not over until we confirm that the country (Somalia) is liberated from enemy forces and their collaborators”.
The new opposition alliance initially appeared to have a difficult time reconciling the various stances of member groups and strongmen. Contradictory information emerged on Hizbul Islam’s goals, means to reach those goals and receptiveness to negotiations, for example. In late February, for example, Hizbul Islam chairman Dr. Omar Iman announced the group currently had no intention of fighting the government, while admitting that some alliance members were at the same time engaged in fighting. By early March and onwards, however, Dr. Omar Iman made a new statement, confirming the alliance group’s intention to wage war against the government and AU forces in the country.
In contrast to the main insurgent actor Al-Shabaab’s global jihadist agenda, Hizbul Islam was widely considered as more of a nationalist alliance. Hassan Dahir Aweys, however, one of Hizbul Islam’s main leaders during the year, was on the UN terrorist sanctions list for his purported links to Al-Qaeda.
Date of first use of armed force: 2009-02-24
Comment on date of first use of armed force: On 24 to 25 February, Hizbul Islam was involved in Mogadishu clashes, pitting Hizbul Islam and Al-Shabaab against the government supported by AU forces. The two days of clashes were estimated to have caused the death of 81 people, most of whom were civilian. Since deaths from the clashes cannot be disaggregated, they are attributed to the major insurgent actor, Al-Shabaab.
First Battle Related Death: 2009-03-17
Comment on First Battle Related Death: On 17 March 2009, Islamic court factions clashed in Beletweyn, the capital of the central Hiraan region, killing two people. The factions are thought to be loosely aligned to the government and Hizbul Islam, respectively, and the clash is therefore attached to this dyad.
It should be noted that it was difficult to distinguish the actors on the rebel-side in 2009, as Al-Shabaab, Hizbul Islam and other Islamic courts remnants and insurgent groups often fought side by side. Where that has been the case, clashes have been attributed to the main insurgent actor, Al-Shabaab. Therefore, the date listed in this entry should not be understood as the first clashes involving Hizbul Islam, but as the first clashes resulting in deaths that could clearly be attributed to the group alone.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 2009-05-21
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: On 21 May 2009, Hizbul Islam clashed with government-aligned Islamic courts militia in Mahadday, Middle Shabelle region, killing at least three combatants.
It should be noted that it was difficult to distinguish the actors on the rebel-side in 2009, as Al-Shabaab, Hizbul Islam and other Islamic courts remnants and insurgent groups often fought side by side. Where that has been the case, clashes have been attributed to the main insurgent actor, Al-Shabaab. Therefore, while clashes involving Hizbul Islam reached 25 battle-related deaths as early as February 2009, 21 May marks the point where 25 battle-related deaths could be clearly attributed to the group alone.
Conflict issues
Conflict Goal Issues: Hizbul Islam, Islamic Party, was an Islamist Somali nationalist rebel group that emerged as an opposition coalition of several large Somali Islamist rebel groups in 2009. Due to the group being made up of several previously existing rebel groups, the movement was very factional by nature, but official statements from the group still alluded to several conflict goal issues. During the year of the group’s creation, it stated its intentions to establish an Islamic state in Somalia through jihad which would be ruled under Islamic (Sharia) law. They also criticized the secular constitution of Somalia which was established by former Islamist leader of ARS-Djibouti, now Somali President Sheikh Sharif, calling the new government “the same” as the previous government. Due to this, the group stated its intentions to oust the government, which they also stated their non-recognition of Sharif’s sitting government. Finally, the group emphasized its desire to protect Muslim religious rights.
In the following year, the group’s final coded year as they were defeated by al-Shabaab in 2010, the group reemphasized its intentions to establish an Islamic state with Sharia law, although the other issues were not restated explicitly. Instead, Hizbul Islam called for President Sharif to step down, for the issue of piracy and opposition groups to be tackled to establish law and order in Somalia, and for the continued desecration of cultural heritage sites in the form of clerics’ graves by al-Shabaab. The group also called for freedom of expression and other rights to be infringed, threatening journalists and men who did not grow out their beards.
The main conflict goal issues of Hizbul Islam were the establishment of an Islamic state in Somalia and the implementation of Sharia law. These issues were continuously stated throughout the group’s brief existence and were heavily emphasized in statements.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: During the year of Hizbul Islam’s emergence, the group stated several conflict dynamics issues. They accused both the Somali military and African Union peacekeepers of abuses and atrocities against civilians and combatants alike and called upon the international Muslim diaspora to travel to Somalia to join the fighting: “We welcome any Muslim who is ready to help us kill non-Muslims and wants to join us in jihad.” The group also made several statements toward the international community, calling for the withdrawal of African Union forces, Ethiopian political influence, and U.S. influence and military support from Somalia.
During the second year of conflict, the group reemphasized its accusations of foreign troops massacring civilians and restated its calls toward the international community to withdraw its military forces, military support, and political influence from the country. Calls toward international Muslims were also made, as they stated that “they invited Osama to come to the country if he could and also called Jihadists in the world to come and join their fight against the Somali government and the African Union troops.”
Due to the brief duration of conflict, and the fact that almost all issues were stated in both years with similar levels of emphasis, no particular issue was interpreted as more salient than others for Hizbul Islam, which could either imply that none, or all, of the conflict dynamics issues were their main issues.
Conflict Resolution Issues: Hizbul Islam stated three conflict resolution issues during its first year of existence, calling for negotiations and national dialogue to be implemented in the country provided the African Union mission was removed from the country. The group also stated its opposition to a proposed call for ceasefire by the Somali government in 2009.
Type of conflict issues: The coded conflict issues for this group are: Conflict Goal Issues: Bureaucratic setup, Change judicial system, Constitutional issues, CPS: Islamic state, Destruction of cultural heritage, Law and order, Oust full executive, Oust head of the executive, Religious rights, Restriction of gender rights, Restrictions on freedom of expression
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Atrocities and abuses, DFI: Removal of foreign influence, DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces, DFI: Withdrawal of military support, IFI: Support from diasporas/foreign fighters, Military conduct
Conflict Resolution Issues: Call for ceasefire, Call for negotiations, National dialogue
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
2009
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 69 |
| Best | 68 |
| Low | 64 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Somalia): Government of Ethiopia
Side B (Hizbul Islam): n/a
2010
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 85 |
| Best | 82 |
| Low | 76 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Somalia): Government of Ethiopia
Side B (Hizbul Islam): n/a
2018
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Somalia): n/a
Side B (Hizbul Islam): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
2009 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: It should be noted that it was difficult to distinguish the actors on the rebel-side in 2009, as Al-Shabaab, Hizbul Islam and other Islamic courts remnants and insurgent groups often fought side by side. Where that has been the case, clashes have been attributed to the main insurgent actor, Al-Shabaab. For this reason, the total toll of battle-related deaths during the year, attributable to Hizbul Islam, does not fully reflect the full extent of alliance involvement in fighting during the year."
Comment on Active: The newly formed Islamist alliance, Hizbul Islam, brought together ARS/UIC (Asmara faction), Harakat Ras Kamboni, Jabhatul Islamiya and Anole. On 4 February the groups announced their intention to merge to jointly fight the government. In Mogadishu clashes, the umbrella group was found to collaborate with Al-Shabaab. Mid-2009, however, relations soured and the two groups began battling each other in southern Somalia.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: Shortly after the formation of Hizbul Islam, there were indications that at least elements in the group were willing to talk with the government. For example, the group is said to have agreed to talks through Hawiye traditional elders. However, it is unclear whether the talks took place, and shortly thereafter, major clashes erupted in Mogadishu.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2010 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The conflict between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and Hizbul Islam continued in 2010. While not as strong as al-Shabaab there were a number of clashes between TFG and Hizbul Islam in Mogadishu. Some clashes also took part in Hiiran region where TFG and Ahlu Sunna Waljamaca were cooperating during some time in 2010.
In Mogadishu it seems as though Hizbul Islam and al-Shabaab were cooperating at a number of times in attacks against the TFG. However, Hizbul Islam continued to become weaker during the year, losing a leading member to the TFG and others going over to al-Shabaab. In December 2010 Hizbul Islam’s leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys announced that the group was disbanded and had joined forces with al-Shabaab.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: There were reports on negotiations between TFG members and Hizbul Islam leader Aweys but the negotiations broke down and it is unclear what was actually discussed.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Other
Date of termination: 2010-12-21
Comment on Termination: In December 2010 Hizbul Islam's leader, Aweys, announced that the group ceased to exist and that its struggle was to be continued under the command of al-Shabaab.
Comment on Termination Date: On 21 December 2010 Hizbul Islam's leader, Aways, announced the termination of Hizbul Islam as a group.
2018 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
