Somalia’s main insurgents groups of Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam have reportedly captured the strategic central town of Beledweyne, the capital of Hiiraan region after battling out with pro-government militia Ahul Sunnah Wal Jama’a.
The clashes erupted on Friday morning in villages near the town with Hizbul Islam and Ahlu Sunnah engaging in heavy gun battle.
The battle in the villages have allowed Al-Shabaab fighters to attack the town and chase away the few remaining pro-government militia, who have since retreated to a El Gal village, located some 15 km from Beledweyne.
The clashes have since claimed the lives of at least five combatants from both sides, according to witnesses.
On the other hand, militias loyal to Hizbul Islam have reportedly looted The offices of the United Nations health agency WHO and Save the Children in Beledweyne.
According to witnesses, the incident happened shortly after the town’s take over with Hizbul Islam militia disarming the guards and chasing away the local agencies workers before looting the valuables in the offices.
"The armed militia entered the offices and took the equipments and weapons. We have also seen the workers, who were blindfolded, being evicted,” said an eyewitness who requested not to be named.
The looting of the aid agencies is seen as a new habit for insurgents because similar incidents targeted on UN offices were reported in rebel-held areas across the war-torn nation.
Al-Shabaab has banned several aid agencies from working in areas under its control with the UN food agency WFP being the latest casualty after being forced to halt its food distributions in the southern Somalia due to threats and extortion by Al-Shabaab.
The fighting in Beledweyne, which strategically connects the capital Mogadishu to central Somalia, comes barely two weeks after bloody battle between same armed groups which claimed the lives of hundreds and displaced thousands others
Source:garoweonline.com/
Showing posts with label Fighting in central Somalia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fighting in central Somalia. Show all posts
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Twenty-four dead in renewed fighting in central Somalia
MOGADISHU, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in renewed clashes between rival Islamist groups in central Somalia have risen to 24 while more than 50 others were injured in fighting raging for the consecutive fourth day, witnesses and health officials said on Wednesday.
The latest flare up of violence erupted between fighters loyal to the Islamist rebel movement of Hezbul Islam backed by its ally of Al Shabaab and the moderate pro-government Islamist sect of Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama.
Both sides have been fighting over the strategic central Somalia town of Beledweyne which has changed hands between the two sides for the past two days. Latest reports indicate the two sides partly control the town while sporadic fighting still continues in and around the town.
Both sides claim to have inflicted heavy losses on the other side but hospital sources in the region say that nearly 24 people mostly combatants from the warring sides were killed while more than 50 others were reportedly injured in the fierce clashes that continued for control of the town and adjacent districts.
Many civilians in the combat areas were reported to have fled their homes as the two sides exchanged heavy artillery in and around residential areas in Beledweyne, the provincial capital of Hiran region in central Somalia which has lately been in the hands of Hezbul Islam militias.
The pro-government Ahlu Sunna fighters control most districts in the central Somalia province of Galgaduud and Mudug and have been trying to take Hiran and its environs from the radical Islamist faction of Hezbul Islam which is allied to the Al Shabaab faction, a group that controls much of south and centre of Somalia.
Al Shabaab and Hezbul Islam factions are opposed to the internationally recognized Somali government. The groups, seen as terrorist entities, want to overthrow the Somalia government and create an Islamic state in the war-torn east African country of Somalia.
Source:news.xinhuanet.com/
The latest flare up of violence erupted between fighters loyal to the Islamist rebel movement of Hezbul Islam backed by its ally of Al Shabaab and the moderate pro-government Islamist sect of Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama.
Both sides have been fighting over the strategic central Somalia town of Beledweyne which has changed hands between the two sides for the past two days. Latest reports indicate the two sides partly control the town while sporadic fighting still continues in and around the town.
Both sides claim to have inflicted heavy losses on the other side but hospital sources in the region say that nearly 24 people mostly combatants from the warring sides were killed while more than 50 others were reportedly injured in the fierce clashes that continued for control of the town and adjacent districts.
Many civilians in the combat areas were reported to have fled their homes as the two sides exchanged heavy artillery in and around residential areas in Beledweyne, the provincial capital of Hiran region in central Somalia which has lately been in the hands of Hezbul Islam militias.
The pro-government Ahlu Sunna fighters control most districts in the central Somalia province of Galgaduud and Mudug and have been trying to take Hiran and its environs from the radical Islamist faction of Hezbul Islam which is allied to the Al Shabaab faction, a group that controls much of south and centre of Somalia.
Al Shabaab and Hezbul Islam factions are opposed to the internationally recognized Somali government. The groups, seen as terrorist entities, want to overthrow the Somalia government and create an Islamic state in the war-torn east African country of Somalia.
Source:news.xinhuanet.com/
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