Battle of Wabho ( 2009 ) The Battle of Wabho was a large battle fought on Friday , June 5 , 2009 between on one side , rebels of Hizbul Islam and al - Shabaab and on the other side a pro - government militia Ahlu Sunna Waljama ' a over is a district of Galgadud named Wabho ( also known as Wabxo ) . With over 123 killed it became one of the heaviest battles in the war . Prelude . May 15 , when the Central Somalia spring fighting of 2009 was just beginning , with an insurgent offensive . Al - Shabaab mujahedeen attacked the town of Wabho . For two days they fought for the city with Ahlu Sunna Waljama ' a . 5 were killed in the fighting however the takeover had failed and pro - government militants remained in control of the town . The battle . On June 5 the fighting started when mujahedeen attacked the town again , this time with Hizbul Islam as their main force . Hizbul Islam spokesman Sheik Muse Abdi Arale reported that they had won and captured the town as well as well as 3 armoured trucks . At this time only 10 had been reported , dead . Residents reported the two sides used heavy weapons , also mortars had been used as Muse Arale was quoted saying " " We have pounded mortars on the infidels and entered the town from all sides " " . 56 were reported dead , however Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama claimed they re - took the town . As both sides claimed victory it was unknown who was in control of the town and no - one could independently verify this . The death toll was said to be over 40 , with 60 injured . On June 7 there was finally confirmation that allied Hizbul Islam and al - Shabaab , mujahedeen had won the battle . Muse Arale was quoted as saying : " " The Mujahideen won the battle and we captured three armed trucks and there were many casualties on both sides " " and Sheikh Ali " Dheere " Mohamud , the spokesman of al - Shabaab said that " " Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamee ' a militia lost the battle and an important town . " " Local residents also confirmed it and Ahlu Sunnah militia commanders refused to comment . It was also reported that al - Shabaab used foreign fighters , some of which were among the Shuhada ( martyrs ) . In the end , the death toll had reached 123 as dozens of dead fighters were found along the road , making it one of the mostly deadly battles of the Somali Civil War . Per these reports , 31 Ahlu Sunna Waljama ' a fighters and 24 mujahedeen had been killed in the battle . At least 9 civilians had been killed during the clashes . Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys and Hassan Turki . On June 7 , Ahlu Sunna Waljama ' a commander Aden Abdi Nur claimed they had killed Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys during the fighting as there were some reports he was sighting near the town . He insisted they had shot him in the head . However Shiekh Aweys contacted the media to prove he wasn ' t dead , he claimed to be in perfect health . After this confirmation , deputy information secretary Sharif Ali Ahmed claimed they had injured Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys and killed Sheikh Hassan Abdullah Hersi al - Turki during the fighting in Wabho . But the spokesman of Hizbul Islam , Sheik Hassan Mahdi denied these claims . He also said that Sheikh Aweys was in Mogadishu and thus could not have been injured in the fighting . Sheikh Aweys resurfaced on June 8 to dispel claims of being injured or wounded . He held a press - conference in Mogadishu were he called the claims of being killed / injured : " enemy propaganda " . He was quoted as saying : " News of my death is unfounded , every person is destined to die , but it will come the day sanctioned by Allah . "