Battle of Mogadishu ( 2006 ) The Second Battle of Mogadishu was a battle fought for control of Somalia ' s capital city , Mogadishu . The opposing forces were the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter - Terrorism ( ARPCT ) , and militia loyal to the Islamic Courts Union ( ICU ) . The conflict began in mid - February , 2006 , when Somali warlord s formed the ARPCT to challenge the ICU ' s emerging influence . It had been alleged that the United States was funding the ARPCT due to concerns that the ICU had ties to al - Qaeda . The ICU militia won control of Mogadishu and ARPCT forces left the city . Background . The exact resumption of hostilities is unknown ; by 24 March 2006 , the BBC was reporting the " most serious clashes for almost a decade " with almost 70 dead . In May 2006 , the fighting intensified between warlords and militia loyal to ICU , which controlled around 80 % of the city . On 4 June 2006 , the ICU seized Balad , 30 miles north of Mogadishu . Balad had previously been under the control of forces loyal to Musa Sudi Yalahow . By 5 June , at least 350 people , mostly civilians , had been killed . On 5 June 2006 , Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi fired four ministers ( who were also clan leaders ) whose private armies were involved in the fighting . Gedi fired National Security Minister Mohamed Afrah Qanyare , Commerce Minister Musa Sudi Yalahow , Militia Rehabilitation Minister Botan Ise Alin and Religious Affairs Minister Omar Muhamoud Finnish , according to government spokesman Abdirahman Nur Mohamed Dinari . He also invited the Islamic courts for talks . On 5 June 2006 , Sheikh Sharif Ahmed , the ICU ' s chairman , reportedly seized Mogadishu , saying in a radio broadcast : " We won the fight against the enemy of Islam . Mogadishu is under control of its people . " The ICU ' s success has been attributed to the Islamic movement ' s ability to transcend clan politics . Following Mogadishu ' s fall , there were two competing rallies . Mogadishu ' s largest clan , the Abgals , held a rally in the city ' s northern part , reportedly drawing about 3000 . AP reports the demonstrators shouting “ We don ' t need Islamic deception ! ” and “ We don ' t want Islamic courts , we want peace ! ” There was a competing rally in support of the ICU . At that rally , Sheikh Sharif Ahmed is quoted as saying " Until we get the Islamic state , we will continue with the Islamic struggle in Somalia , " to a crowd of about 500 . The ARPCT ' s remaining forces are said to have fled to Jowhar . On 14 June 2006 , following a stand - off that lasted for approximately eight days , the ICU reportedly attacked the remaining ARPCT forces in Jowhar , rout ing them and seizing the town . Ali Mohamed Gedi has since then requested peacekeeping forces from the African Union , and neighboring states such as Kenya have imposed sanctions on the fleeing warlords , barring them entry into their lands . United States support for ARPCT . Michael Zorick ( the U . S . State Department ' s political officer for Somalia ) , who had been stationed in Nairobi , was reassigned to Chad after he sent a cable to Washington criticizing Washington ' s policy of paying Somali warlords . The Times stated , " The American activities in Somalia have been approved by top officials in Washington and were reaffirmed during a National Security Council meeting about Somalia in March . " On 7 June 2006 , the Republic of the Congo ' s president and current African Union head , Denis Sassou - Nguesso , criticized the United States for its involvement in fighting in Mogadishu following his meeting with President George W . Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice .