Battle of Bandiradley ( 2006 ) The Battle of Bandiradley in Somalia began on December 23 , 2006 , when Puntland and Ethiopia n forces , along with faction leader Abdi Qeybdid , fought Islamic Courts Union ( ICU ) militants defending Bandiradley . The fighting pushed the Islamists out of Bandiradley and over the border south into Adado district , Galgadud region , by December 25 . Background . Somali Civil War . The battle has roots in the long - standing Somali Civil War . The areas of Galgudud and Mudug were drawn into the conflict arising between the state of Puntland , and the areas coming under the control of the ICU . While local leaders tried to organize into the autonomous state of Galmudug , over time it was forced to side with the forces of Puntland and Ethiopia in order to repel the ICU . Prior Ethiopian interventions in the area . The borders of Galgadud and Mudug regions were under dispute with Ethiopia following the August 1982 border clashes . The towns of Ballanballe and Goldogub had been under Ethiopian occupation from that time up until June 1988 when all troops were to pull back 9 miles from the disputed borders , and Ethiopia granted back the towns to Somalia . On March 7 – 8 , 1999 , Ethiopia claimed it had made a cross - border incursion into Ballanballe searching for members of Al - Itihaad al - Islamiya ( AIAI ) who had reportedly kidnapped a person and stolen medical supplies , and denied reports of looting . Allegations from that time also claim Ethiopia was the supplier of various Somali warlords , while Eritrea was arming other warlords . Prelude to battle . On August 14 , 2006 , local tribal leaders opposed to the advance of the ICU , as well as wishing autonomy from the state of Puntland , organized Ethio - Puntland Militias and put Abdi Qeybdid in charge of them . On November 12 , the ICU took the town of Bandiradley after a firefight with the forces of Abdi Qeybdid . On November 13 , the President of Puntland , General Adde Musa personally led 50 battlewagon s to Galkayo to confront the Islamists . On November 22 , Ethiopia imposed a curfew on the town of Ballanballe and was searching residents entering or leaving the village in response to attacks on Ethiopian convoys in Somalia On November 26 , thousands of ICU troops were reported deploying in Abudwaq , within of the Ethiopian border . On November 27 , troops were forcibly returning people who had fled to avoid fighting to their homes , reassuring them they would not come to harm . On November 28 , Ethiopian forces in the Galkayo , Mudug area were estimated to be about 500 - strong , with over 100 vehicles including tanks . There was an exchange of gunfire and missiles . Afterwards , the ICU held a rally in Bandiradley , at which ICU commander Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed accused the Ethiopians of firing 12 missiles at Islamist positions . On December 1 , in Galkayo , it was reported 9 clerics of the Islamic Tabliq sect had been arrested under the orders of Colonel Abdi Qeybdiid . On December 7 – 8 , the militia of warlord Abdi Qeybdid took part in skirmishes against forces of the ICU near the small settlement of Sadah Higle between Bandiradley and Galkayo . This rapidly led to an exchange of shelling between Ethiopian and ICU troops . Hundreds of Ethiopian troops accompanied by forces from Puntland took up position near the town . Puntland forces claimed they had been provoked by rocket and mortar fire . ICU forces stated Ethiopian troops " started firing missiles toward our positions . " At least one ICU fighter was claimed killed in the exchange . On December 16 , it was reported a local Islamic court named Imamu Shahfici was set up in Abudwaq . It urged Islamists to resist the Ethiopians Further combat was kept in abeyance until the general outbreak of hostilities on December 20 . On December 19 , 18 technicals and a large number of Ethiopian troops entered Ballanballe , Galgadud province , to reinforce troops already positioned in the town . Just prior to the battle , on December 22 , Ethiopian troops departed Ballanballe where they had been in occupation for the past three months . This was reportedly done at the urging of the tribal elders , who did not wish fighting to break out between the ICU and Ethiopia in their town . Battle . On December 22 , Ethiopian troops were said to be amassing in Galkayo for what might turn into a second front of the war near Puntland . The following day , 500 Ethiopian troops and 8 tanks were reported to be heading towards Bandiradley . Islamist fighters retreated from their positions . They were pursued south to the area between Galinsor and Bandiradley , where the Islamists were defeated . The ICU forces were further pursued to Adado in Galgadud , which they abandoned late on December 25 , 2006 . Aftermath . The ICU abandoned the towns of Dhuusamareb and Abudwaq without fighting . In the wake of their withdrawal from Abudwaq , militias set up checkpoints and began firing their weapons .