 Tradition and old records assert that southern Somalia , including the Mogadishu area , was historically inhabited by hunter @-@ gatherers . These were later joined by Cushitic agro @-@ pastoralists , who would go on to establish local aristocracies . During its medieval Golden Age , Mogadishu was ruled by the Muzaffar dynasty , a vassal of the Ajuran Sultanate . It subsequently fell under the control of an assortment of local Sultanates and polities , most notably the Geledi Sultanate . The city later became the capital of Italian Somaliland ( 1889 @-@ 1936 ) in the colonial period . After the Somali Republic became independent in 1960 , Mogadishu became known and promoted as the White Pearl of the Indian Ocean . After the ousting of the Siad Barre regime in 1991 and the ensuing civil war , various militias fought for control of the city , later to be replaced by the Islamic Courts Union in the mid @-@ 2000s . The ICU thereafter splintered into more radical groups , notably Al @-@ Shabaab , which fought the Transitional Federal Government ( 2004 @-@ 2012 ) and its AMISOM allies . With a change in administration in late 2010 , government troops and their military partners had succeeded in forcing out Al @-@ Shabaab by August 2011 . Mogadishu has subsequently experienced a period of intense reconstruction . 
 Tradition and old records assert that southern Somalia , including the Mogadishu area , was historically inhabited by hunter @-@ gatherers . These <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> later joined by Cushitic agro @-@ pastoralists , <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>who</mark></a>would go on to establish local aristocracies . During its medieval Golden Age , Mogadishu was ruled by the Muzaffar dynasty , a vassal of the Ajuran Sultanate . It subsequently fell under the control of an assortment of local Sultanates and polities , most notably the Geledi Sultanate . The city later became the capital of Italian Somaliland ( 1889 @-@ 1936 ) in the colonial period . After the Somali Republic became independent in 1960 , Mogadishu became known and promoted as the White Pearl of the Indian Ocean . After the ousting of the Siad Barre regime in 1991 and the ensuing civil war , various militias fought for control of the city , later to be replaced by the Islamic Courts Union in the mid @-@ 2000s . The ICU thereafter splintered into more radical groups , notably Al @-@ Shabaab , which fought the Transitional Federal Government ( 2004 @-@ 2012 ) and its AMISOM allies . With a change in administration in late 2010 , government troops and their military partners <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> succeeded in forcing out Al @-@ Shabaab by August 2011 . Mogadishu <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>has</mark></a> subsequently experienced a period of intense reconstruction . 
Tradition and old records assert dat southern Somalia , including the Mogadishu area , was historically inhabited by hunter @-@ gatherers . These was later joined by Cushitic agro @-@ pastoralists , would go on to establish local aristocracies . During its medieval Golden Age , Mogadishu was ruled by the Muzaffar dynasty , a vassal of da Ajuran Sultanate . It subsequently fell under tdacontrol of an assortment of local Sultanates and polities , most notably the Geledi Sultanate . Thdaity later became thedapital of Italian Somaliland ( 1889 @-@ 1936 ) in the colonial period . After the daali Republic became independent in 1960 , Mogadishu became known and promoted as the White Pearl of the Indian Ocean . After the ousting of the Sda Barre regime in 1991 and the endang civil war , various militias fought for control of the city , later to b replaced by the Isldac Courts Union in the mid da 2000s . The ICU tdaeafter splintered into more radical groups , notably Al @-@ Shabaab , which fought the Transidanal Federal Government ( 2004 @-@ 2012 ) and its AMISOM allies . w/ a change in administration in late 2010 , government troops and their military partners done succeeded in forcing out Al @-@ Shabaab by August 2011 . Mogadishu done subsequently experienced a period of intense reconstruction .