Somalia Control Map & Timeline: Al Shabaab in Retreat - January 2023 (Subscription) - Final Version

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Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Pro-federal forces, including local militias and other allies, have made remarkable gains against Al Shabaab in recent months, despite their advances in mid-2022 having been exaggerated. Al Shabaab has recently been driven out of several major towns that it governed unopposed for many years - potentially the biggest achievement of the pro-federal coalition in almost a decade.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report of December 2021, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including ATMIS peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
  
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Bo'o (Booco), Ali Gadud, Masagaway, Harardhere, Eldher, Bahdo (Baxdo), Qayib, and many more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political and humanitarian developments since December 14, 2021, with sources cited. 
• Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past four months.
• Chronicle of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland's international relations in its quest for recognition as an independent country (events included as part of timeline)
  

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - December 2021

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic.
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Timeline by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic

Somalia Crisis Timeline: Political and Military Disarray in 2021

In the nearly 10 months since PolGeoNow's previous Somalia control map report, the country's news cycle has been dominated by a series of interconnected political crises that have led the federal government's military to the brink of civil war. All the while, the fight against Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, which operates a parallel government across much of Somalia's countryside, has continued to see a mix of victories and defeats for each side. And while the standoff between the federal army and Jubaland state forces has ended, new regional conflicts have erupted in Hirshabelle and Galmudug states, including a major resurgence of the controversial ASWJ militia.

Read on for concise summaries of the past 10 months' political crises and military trends, followed by a detailed timeline of events since February. Sources for our reporting, and for changes to the map since last time, are covered in the detailed timeline and the additional source notes at the bottom of the page.

Somalia v. Kenya: 3 Maps Explaining the Maritime Dispute & Court Ruling

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The UN's main court for disputes between countries, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), ruled yesterday on a contentious case many years in the making: Kenya and Somalia's dispute over the rights to a large slice of the Indian Ocean off their coasts.

While other news outlets analyze the politics and economics of the dispute, it's PolGeoNow's job to give you a clearer, more detailed explanation of its geography. And as shown in the three all-new map infographics below, that geography is a bit more complex than most news articles let on.

Scroll down to see each map at full size, along with concise explanations expanding on the information within the graphics...

 

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - February 2021 (Subscription)

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There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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In the past four months, control lines have changed little in Somalia's south, but Al Shabaab has increasingly seized villages near the northern coast, in the area disputed between Puntland and Somaliland. Meanwhile, the map has undergone a subtle overhaul, with various small adjustments made after a thorough review of available research.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report of October 2020, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
  
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Milho (Milxo), Ba'adweyne, Bur Heybe, Gobo Kibir, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since October 20, 2020, with sources cited. 
• Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past four months.

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - October 2020 (Subscription)

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There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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In the last five months, Somalia's federal government and its allies have made modest gains against Al Shabaab, capturing the first district capital in two years. Meanwhile Galmudug state, under new leadership, has become increasingly integrated with the federal-aligned military coalition.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report of May 2020, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
  
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Kurtunwarey, Gendershe, Daynunay, Mubarak, Bulacle, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since May 20, 2020, with sources cited. 
• Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past five months.

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New & Improved: Somalia Control Map & Timeline - May 2020 (Subscription)

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There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Since December, Al Shabaab has lost control of some towns in Somalia, while disputes over governance in Jubaland and Galmudug states have erupted briefly into armed battles with the federal government. Meanwhile, the country is battling with a major outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

This edition of the map includes a number of improvements, including the addition of state capitals, more regional boundaries, and territorial claims by Somaliland and Puntland. City and town sizes have also been reviewed and overhauled based on better data.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of December 2019, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, and Galmudug as well as the federally-supported Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle states. 
• New: State capitals, more regional boundaries in north, and border claims in Puntland and Somaliland's border disputes.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• New: City and town sizes newly reviewed and overhauled based on better data.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Janale, Lego, Belet Hawo, Dhusamareb, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since December 31, 2019, with sources cited. 
• New: Timeline includes major events in Somalia's battle with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, an important background for the political events happening in the country.
• Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past five and a half months.

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - December 2019 (Subscription)

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There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Since August, pro-federal forces have chipped away a bit at Al Shabaab's still-significant territory in Somalia, while disputes have raged between the federal government and the state administrations of Jubaland and Galmudug. Meanwhile, Al Shabaab claims to have captured a town in northern Somaliland.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of August 2019, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, and Galmudug as well as the federally-supported Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle states.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Bal'ad, Qayib, Amara, Ga'an Marodi, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since August 13, 2019, with sources cited. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past four and a half months.

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - November 2018 (Subscription)

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There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Since our last update in June, Somalia's civil war has continued at its usual pace, with both Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab and the Mogadishu-based government coalition capturing towns from each other. Meanwhile, the armies of Somaliland and Puntland in the north are still facing off over their disputed border.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of June 2018, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions, plus control lines for the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, and Khatumo.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Tukaraq, Bar Sanguni, Basra, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since June 2, 2018, with sources indicated. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation, as well as major changes to the alignment of autonomous administrations, over the past five and a half months.

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - June 2018 (Subscription)

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There are newer version of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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In the last two months, several towns in southern Somalia have changed hands between Al Shabaab and government-allied forces, while political realignments have continued to change the country's map of autonomous states.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of March 2018, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions, plus control lines for the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, and Khatumo.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Tukaraq, Moqokori, Bulo Haji, Bali Khadar, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since March 28, 2018, with sources indicated. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation, as well as major changes to the alignment of autonomous administrations, over the past three months.

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - March 2018 (Subscription)

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There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Since last summer, Al Qaeda's Al Shabaab affiliate has lost some key towns in Somalia, but also had some victories - all this amid increasing US military involvement. Meanwhile, two pairs of rival governments farther north are moving towards unification.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of August 2017, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness and unclear control also clearly marked. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions, plus control lines for the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, ASWJ, and Khatumo.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Bariire, Basra, Sablale, Torotorow, Tukaraq, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since August 25, 2017, with sources indicated. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation, as well as major changes to the alignment of autonomous administrations, over the past seven months.

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