2006 Islamic Courts Union offensive

2006 Islamic Courts Union offensive
Part of the Somali Civil War and the Global War on Terrorism
Date June 4 – December 20, 2006 Location Somalia Result Ethiopian intervention
Belligerents
Islamic Courts Union	Transitional Federal Government ARPCT Puntland  Galmudug Supported by:  Ethiopia  United States
Commanders and leaders
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed Hassan Aweys Yusuf Indacade Hassan al-Turki	Mohamed Dhere Botan Ise Alin Mohamed Qanyare Omar Finnish Musa Sudi Yalahow Abdi Qeybdiid Barre Hiraale Adde Muse
Strength
5,000–10,000 soldiers 500–1000 technicals	6,000 soldiers[1] 300–500 technicals

The 2006 Islamic Courts Union offensive is the period in the Somali Civil War that began in May 2006 with the Islamic Courts Union's (ICU) conquest of Mogadishu from the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT) and continued with further ICU expansion in the country.^[2] Following the outbreak of the war on December 21, 2006; by December 24, direct Ethiopian intervention in the conflict in support of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was no longer denied by the Ethiopian government.^[3] The Eritrean government denied any involvement despite Ethiopian claims to the contrary.^[4]