Qandala (also known as Candala, Andala, Bender Chor, Bandar Kor, Bender Kor or Taba Tege) is an ancient port town in the northeastern Bari province of

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...

Overview

Qandala sits on a

wadi Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water ...

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...

, which forms a natural protective harbor for vessels on the Gulf of Aden. It lies 75 kilometres (47 mi) east of

Bosaso Bosaso ( so, Boosaaso, ar, بوصاصو), historically known as Bender Cassim is a city in the northeastern Bari province ('' gobol'') of Somalia. It is the seat of the Bosaso District. Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, the mu ...

, 549 kilometres (341 mi) south of Aden, and 475 kilometres (295 mi) west of

Socotra Socotra or Soqotra (; ar, سُقُطْرَىٰ ; so, Suqadara) is an island of the Republic of Yemen in the Indian Ocean, under the ''de facto'' control of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, a secessionist participant in Yemen’ ...

. The city is located in the autonomous

Puntland Puntland ( so, Puntland, ar, أرض البنط, it, Terra di Punt or ''Paese di Punt''), officially the Puntland State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Puntland ee Soomaaliya, ar, ولاية أرض البنط الصومالية), is a F ...

region of Somalia. It is the capital of the Qandala District. In antiquity, Qandala was an active trading center for merchants from the interior of the Horn of Africa, who transported goods such as

incense Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also b ...

, gum and aromatic woods to and from the port. Its nickname Gacanka Hodonka ("Gulf of Prosperity") is a relic from this era. Additionally, Qandala is coextensive with the ancient town of

Botiala Botiala ( so, Butiyaalo), also known as Bottiala or Bandar Kor, is an archaeological site in the northeastern Bari region of Puntland. History Botiala is located in a valley to the east of the ancient port city of Qandala, between Cape Guardafui ...

. The latter settlement features an old fortress complex, which overlooks and controls the mouth of the wadi leading inland.

2016 ISIL capture

On 26 October 2016, a militant group linked to

ISIL An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...

captured Qandala with 50 armed fighters after brief firefight with local security forces, thus becoming the first town to be seized by Islamic State affiliated militants in Somalia.

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

reported that ISIL militants had withdrawn from the town for unclear reasons. However, the report was denied by other media outlets and claimed that it is false. On 7 December 2016, a Somali official says Puntland security forces have recaptured the port from ISIL-linked fighters, killing 30 militants. Another four soldiers were also killed during the operation.

Demographics

Qandala has a population of around 19,300 inhabitants.Somalia City & Town PopulationTageo.com
Retrieved on 2011-12-15.

Education

Qandala has a number of academic institutions. According to the Puntland Ministry of Education, there are 15 primary schools in the Qandala District. Among these are Xamure, Dhadar, Turmasale and Gurur.

Transportation

Qandala has a small

seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...

. Air transportation in the city is served by the Candala Airport.. Retrieved 21 August 2013.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Candala, Somalia
Populated places in Bari, Somalia Maritime history of Somalia Port cities in Africa Gulf of Aden