Official Name: | Bulo Marer |
Settlement Type: | Town |
Pushpin Map: | Lower Shebelle#Somalia |
Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location. |
Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | Somalia |
Subdivision Type1: | Region |
Subdivision Name1: | Lower Shebelle |
Unit Pref: | Metric |
Timezone: | EAT |
Utc Offset: | +3 |
Coordinates: | 1.6319°N 44.5222°W |
Bulo Marer (so|Buulo Mareer, Bulla Marer, Bula Mareer, Bulo Barer, Bulomarer) is a town in the southwestern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia. It was a base of Al-Shabaab, and was the site of an ill-fated 2013 military operation during which French commandos attempted to free a French hostage that was being held by the insurgent group.[1] The town was taken by Somali government forces assisted by AMISOM troops after a battle on August 30, 2014.[2] It was the site of the 2024 African Union base attack in Bulo Marer.
In November 2008, Bulo Marer was reported to have a protected water well.[3]
In November 2008, the Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab occupied Bulo Marer.[4]
A photo showing al-Shabaab soldiers in Bulo Marer was published in 2008.[5]
In January 2013, the French-United States military attempted unsuccessfully to rescue hostages from Al-Shabaab in Bulo Marer.[6] [7]
In April 2014, the Tunni clan of Bulo Marer reportedly provided food to Al-Shabaab.[8]
In August 2014, Al-Shabaab's media arm, Al-Kataib, broadcast a documentary about the failed January 2013 attack on Bulo Marer by the French-United States military.[6]
In August 2014, Somali armed forces and African Union (AU) forces occupied Bulo Marer.[8] Until then, Al-Shabaab had made Bulo Marer one of its key strongholds, robbing travelers and collecting taxes from residents.[9]
In April 2016, four civilians were killed when their vehicle was destroyed in Bulo Marer after they failed to follow military stop orders.[10]
In March 2019, Al-Shabaab carried out an attack on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base.[11]
In May 2023, Al-Shabaab attacked a base manned by Ugandan troops of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in Bulo Marer.[12] The Somalia government said 30 people were killed in the attack. Al-Shabaab said it killed 137 soldiers.[13] Uganda's president announced that 54 people were killed.[14]