The Frontier of Somaliweyne: Awash River

[merka]

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Overview
The Awash, (Somali: Webiga Dir) is a major river of Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and empties into a chain of interconnected lakes that begin with Lake Gargori and end with Lake Abbe (or Abhe Bad) on the border with Djibouti, some 100 kilometers (60 or 70 miles) from the head of the Gulf of Tadjoura. It is the principal stream of an endorheic drainage basin covering parts of the Amhara, Oromia and Somali Regions, as well as the southern half of the Afar Region. In the 16th century the Awash river was called the Great Dir River and lay in the country of the Muslims.

 

[merka]

Upper Valley
The Upper Valley comprising its course south-east and east down to the point where it turns northwards along the line of the Rift. In this section its average slope exceeds 6 degrees, and there are many waterfalls, some of which have been used for hydro-electric power. The length is about 300 km.

Middle Valley
The Middle Valley comprising the course northwards to a point downstream of the confluence of the Mile River, near Tendaho. In this section the general slope is less than 1 degree; there are numerous rapids where the river crosses bars of igneous rocks, between which occur reaches of flood plain and swamp in places. The altitudes in the Middle Valley range from 1,000 m. at Metehara to about 500 m. at the rapids upstream the confluence of the Mile. The length of this section is about 650 km.

Lower Plains
A short distance south of Tendaho occur a series of faults aligned generally northwest to southeast, which have caused the river to turn southeast wards across the alluvial plains. Its slope in this section is only about 0.3 degrees. Its course is meandering, deltaic, and unstable; extensive areas are flooded, and changes of course often occur. Several lakes exist, of which the largest is Lake Abe, which receives the remaining flows. The length of this part of the course, to the entrance of Lake Abe, is about 250 km.

 

[SultanuuFicaan]

Reer Ciise are currently reconquering this region, back in 2014 there were some clashes between them and Canfar. Awash river is among the 4 great Somali rivers. TPLF have given some of our lands to Oromia/Afar region.



Also Lucy was found in the Awash river.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(Australopithecus)

 

[--Ajakis Lax Max--]

can someone post the extent to which somalis occupy. the best map available

 

[merka]

Reer Ciise are currently reconquering this region, back in 2014 there were some clashes between them and Canfar. Awash river is among the 4 great Somali rivers. TPLF have given some of our lands to Oromia/Afar region.



Also Lucy was found in the Awash river.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(Australopithecus)

The Awash River is Ethiopia's main artery and gateway to the sea. Ethiopia cannot allow it to be under Somali control or they'll lose half of the country and be forced back into the Ethiopian Highlands.

It is also their main defensive weak point since the rest of the country is surrounded by mountains. It is the only way an army can successfully penetrate deep into the country.


One of the main military mistakes of the Ogaden war was that the Somali military focused their armoured forces up the Ahmar Mountains which slowed down the invasion and gave the Ethiopians time to defend and prepare for the counterattack.

If they decided instead to put some tank divisions near the Djibouti border and enter into the Awash River Valley they would force Ethiopia to defend on 2 fronts. If the Somali Army gained control of the river it would have forced Ethiopia to give up the Ogaden.

@Adolf-Hitler

 

[maestro]

Somaliweyn map is smaller than it should be. Somalis inhabit upto Awash river, Babile/Harar, Moyale in Ethiopia and Isiolo and Tana River county in Kenya. It's missing close to 100,000 sq km. It needs to be updated.

Some people don't realize the expansion of the Nomads hasn't stopped and think we are still in the late 1800s. The Ciise have expanded into the Awash river valley, the Ogaden into Babile and Bale, the Garre into Moyale and Ogaden again into Isiolo and Tana river county.

balaayo idin qaadey don't we have enough land already. I think in 100 years time we will reach Tanzania in the south and Addis Ababa in the west

 

[--Ajakis Lax Max--]

Somaliweyn map is smaller than it should be. Somalis inhabit upto Awash river, Babile/Harar, Moyale in Ethiopia and Isiolo and Tana River county in Kenya. It's missing close to 100,000 sq km. It needs to be updated.

Some people don't realize the expansion of the Nomads hasn't stopped and think we are still in the late 1800s. The Ciise have expanded into the Awash river valley, the Ogaden into Babile and Bale, the Garre into Moyale and Ogaden again into Isiolo and Tana river county.

balaayo idin qaadey don't we have enough land already. I think in 100 years time we will reach Tanzania in the south and Addis Ababa in the west

 

[Prince of Lasanod]

If the Somali Army gained control of the river it would have forced Ethiopia to give up the Ogaden

Why?

 

[merka]

Why?

If the river was under Somali control Addis Ababa would be threatened. The Somali Republic could have used it as a bargaining chip to annex the Somali regions in Ethiopia.

 

[John Michael]

Somaliweyn map is smaller than it should be. Somalis inhabit upto Awash river, Babile/Harar, Moyale in Ethiopia and Isiolo and Tana River county in Kenya. It's missing close to 100,000 sq km. It needs to be updated.

Some people don't realize the expansion of the Nomads hasn't stopped and think we are still in the late 1800s. The Ciise have expanded into the Awash river valley, the Ogaden into Babile and Bale, the Garre into Moyale and Ogaden again into Isiolo and Tana river county.

balaayo idin qaadey don't we have enough land already. I think in 100 years time we will reach Tanzania in the south and Addis Ababa in the west

Babi le and moyale have always been Somali except the garre (in moyale) and hawiye clan in babile prefer their Oromo neighbours.

Harar majority of Somalis fled.theyre barely any left.

Moyale mean pestle as in pestle and motar.

 

[Ferrari]

The Awash River is Ethiopia's main artery and gateway to the sea. Ethiopia cannot allow it to be under Somali control or they'll lose half of the country and be forced back into the Ethiopian Highlands.

It is also their main defensive weak point since the rest of the country is surrounded by mountains. It is the only way an army can successfully penetrate deep into the country.


One of the main military mistakes of the Ogaden war was that the Somali military focused their armoured forces up the Ahmar Mountains which slowed down the invasion and gave the Ethiopians time to defend and prepare for the counterattack.

If they decided instead to put some tank divisions near the Djibouti border and enter into the Awash River Valley they would force Ethiopia to defend on 2 fronts. If the Somali Army gained control of the river it would have forced Ethiopia to give up the Ogaden.

@Adolf-Hitler

sxb somalis aren't that strategic. They can fight, and they are pretty courageous people but we lack the art of tactics in wars and in politics as well.

 

[Prince of Lasanod]

If the river was under Somali control Addis Ababa would be threatened. The Somali Republic could have used it as a bargaining chip to annex the Somali regions in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian government had the entire international community on their side, I don't think it would have changed much. We lost due to politics.

 

[merka]

sxb somalis aren't that strategic. They can fight, and they are pretty courageous people but we lack the art of tactics in wars and in politics as well.

The strategy the government had was good but it was incomplete. If they managed to get Djibouti involved and allowed the Somali military to enter Ethiopia through Djibouti the outcome would have been successful.

I think it was rushed due to the Derg taking over Ethiopia with the military coup. They assumed it would be easy but all it did was to unite the Ethiopians against Somali forces. If they waited maybe the military could have made better plans and also maybe helped Djibouti build up their military so they could join in the war.

Hindsight is 20/20 though maybe we'll get another chance. AUN to the martyrs.

 

[merka]

The Ethiopian government had the entire international community on their side, I don't think it would have changed much. We lost due to politics.

The Somali government had enough time to take the country before any aid can come through. If they managed to gain control, the international community would have agreed to a peace treaty since it would have been too late for the military to regain territory without suffering major casualties.

 

[Prince of Lasanod]

The Somali government had enough time to take the country before any aid can come through. If they managed to gain control, the international community would have agreed to a peace treaty since it would have been too late for the military to regain territory without suffering major casualties.

The quick annexation of Kuwait by Iraq didn't stop the US coalition from launching a massive military assault to take back Kuwait.

I don't think that they would have signed off Ogaden even if we controlled all of Ethiopia.

 

[merka]

The quick annexation of Kuwait by Iraq didn't stop the US coalition from launching a massive military assault to take back Kuwait.

I don't think that they would have signed off Ogaden even if we controlled all of Ethiopia.

Kuwait is a flat desert. All the US had to do was bomb them back to Iraq. Ethiopia on the other hand is mountainous. It would be very difficult to take back territory once Somali troops took full control of the mountain side.

Even if the international community didn't agree they wouldn't be able to stop Somali "occupation" of the Ogaden. Just like how Russia took over Crimea without the IC agreeing to it. No country is willing to send their troops to die unless there's a good chance of them winning.

 

[Prince of Lasanod]

@Rooble

 

[Steamdevolopment]

Gadabuursi also reside in Metehara, look how close it is to the capital and Nazret.

Karrayu Oromo also reside here.

Tuf Garre reside in Marsabit.

Namanga also has a sizable population, quite a lot of Isaaq and they own a lot of property. Masaai live there too naturally speaking

@Rooble provided this information a while back, beesha HAGISTS of Somalia should help their kin @Prince of Hobyo @Boqor Geeljire252 @FatMann @AceofSom

What is the argument here?

 

[--Ajakis Lax Max--]

we need new methods for expansion and somalization of more calibeysteen lands

 

[maestro]

Gadabuursi also reside in Metehara, look how close it is to the capital and Nazret.

Karrayu Oromo also reside here.

Tuf Garre reside in Marsabit.

Namanga also has a sizable population, quite a lot of Isaaq and they own a lot of property. Masaai live there too naturally speaking

@Rooble provided this information a while back, beesha HAGISTS of Somalia should help their kin @Prince of Hobyo @Boqor Geeljire252 @FatMann @AceofSom

Namanga you mean reer Isaaq sub clan of Ogaden not sh. Isaaq