Jilib

Jilib^[a] is a city in the Middle Juba region of Somalia.^[1] It currently serves as the de facto capital of the Islamic Emirate of Somalia controlled by al-Shabaab. Jilib has an estimated population of around 100,000 inhabitants and covers an area of about 10 square kilometres. It is 112 kilometres or 70 miles north of Kismaayo.

Jilib جيليب
City
Jilib highlighted on a map of Somalia
Jilib Location in Somalia
Coordinates: 00°29′39″N 42°46′28″E
Country	Somalia (De jure) Islamic Emirate of Somalia (De facto)
State	Jubaland
Region	Jubbada Dhexe
District	Jilib District
Government
• Control	al-Shabaab
Population  (2008)
• Total	125,000 est.
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)

History

During the Middle Ages, Jilib and its surrounding area was part of the Ajuran Empire that governed much of southern Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, with its domain extending from Hobyo in the north, to Qelafo in the west, to Kismayo in the south.^[2]

In the early modern period, Jilib was ruled by the Geledi Sultanate. The kingdom was eventually incorporated into Italian Somaliland protectorate in 1910 after the death of the last Sultan Osman Ahmed.^[3] After independence in 1960, the city was made the center of the official Jilib District.

The Islamic Courts Union was defeated there in the Battle of Jilib (December 2006 – January 2007). The ICU recaptured the town on May 17, 2008.^[4]

The city has a National Park called Jilib national park. It is the largest national park in the Middle Juba region of Somalia, at around 950km square kilometres in area.

Somali Civil War

Main article: Somali Civil War (2009–present)

Jilib is controlled by Al-Shabaab, a jihadist fundamentalist group based in East Africa with links to Al-Qaeda. The town functions as the capital of the Islamic Emirate of Somalia.^[5]

Notes

1. Arabic: جيليب