Even before the 2006 events in the Somali Civil War, Beledweyne had seen its share of fighting. In June 2005, fighting between the Galje'el and Jijele subclans Gugundhabe in the western of town lasted for five days, resulting in 16 dead GalJe'el 13 dead and Jijele 3 dead, 70 wounded both clans and hundreds more displaced. This left the town on an uneasy footing. On June 30, 2006, the ICU held demonstrations in Beledweyne in which protesters held signs reading, "We Don't Want Ethiopia to Enter Somalia."