Al-shabab left 12 dead in central Somalia
Clashes in central Somalia between Somali army troops and al-Shabab militants have left at least 12 people dead, witnesses say.
The clashes Thursday started after armed al-Shabab members tried to impose taxes on residents of villages around the town of Mahas, in the Hiran region.
Resident Dahir Muse Osoble said, Somali that government soldiers backing cattle herders engaged in more than six hours of battle with the militants.
"The fighting started at around 11 a.m. local time when heavily armed militants simultaneously entered into the villages of Kaadiley, Lebi Butale, Bulucle and Muse Geel, ordering pastoralists to hand over some of their livestock as a zakat demand, or tax. Then we took up arms to defend ourselves and our livestock from the militants' flagrant aggression, with the backing Somali National Army," Osoble said.
Somali government officials in Mahas, confirmed the army had moved in to back up the cattle herders.
"The pastoralists and habitants in these villages, who are already struggling economically after losing hundreds of livestock in the recent drought, dismissed the demand for taxes, leading to the fighting. And it is our job to defend our citizens from terrorists," said one official.
Multiple residents said at least 12 combatants, including five militants and one civilian, were killed in the fighting.
Clashes involving pastoralists resisting al-Shabab taxes began in Somalia's Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions in 2013
This event comes after AMISON warn of increased Al-shabab ambushes
Al-Shabab attacks against African Union peacekeepers and Somali government forces could worsen as troops try to reopen Somalia’s main supply roads, currently cut off by the militants, a spokesman for the peacekeepers warns.
Lieutenant Colonel Wilson Rono said the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops and Somali National Army forces are trying to reopen the highway linking the capital, Mogadishu, to Baidoa, 240 kilometers (150 miles) to the west. It’s one of three main roads linking Mogadishu the south, southwest and central regions.
Rono spoke to Somali service this week after al-Shabab militants ambushed an AMISOM supply convoy about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Mogadishu on Friday, killing at least 10 soldiers and destroying most of the 20 trucks. It was the latest of many deadly attacks the militant group has waged against the AU forces.
Al-Shabab was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011 and in following years lost control of almost all the country’s major towns. It had to resort to “difficult” guerrilla tactics, Rono said.
Rono said AMISOM soldiers repulsed another al-Shabab ambush Friday near the town of Fafahdhun in Somalia's Gedo region.
He said the soldiers killed 23 Al-Shabab fighters. Mohamed Hussein al-Qadi, the district's deputy governor, put the Shabab death toll at five.
“We learn from each incident,” Rono said. “But the nature of the asymmetrical warfare and fighting of insurgency makes you certain that this kind of thing will happen” again.
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The clashes Thursday started after armed al-Shabab members tried to impose taxes on residents of villages around the town of Mahas, in the Hiran region.
Resident Dahir Muse Osoble said, Somali that government soldiers backing cattle herders engaged in more than six hours of battle with the militants.
"The fighting started at around 11 a.m. local time when heavily armed militants simultaneously entered into the villages of Kaadiley, Lebi Butale, Bulucle and Muse Geel, ordering pastoralists to hand over some of their livestock as a zakat demand, or tax. Then we took up arms to defend ourselves and our livestock from the militants' flagrant aggression, with the backing Somali National Army," Osoble said.
Somali government officials in Mahas, confirmed the army had moved in to back up the cattle herders.
"The pastoralists and habitants in these villages, who are already struggling economically after losing hundreds of livestock in the recent drought, dismissed the demand for taxes, leading to the fighting. And it is our job to defend our citizens from terrorists," said one official.
Multiple residents said at least 12 combatants, including five militants and one civilian, were killed in the fighting.
Clashes involving pastoralists resisting al-Shabab taxes began in Somalia's Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions in 2013
This event comes after AMISON warn of increased Al-shabab ambushes
Al-Shabab attacks against African Union peacekeepers and Somali government forces could worsen as troops try to reopen Somalia’s main supply roads, currently cut off by the militants, a spokesman for the peacekeepers warns.
Lieutenant Colonel Wilson Rono said the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops and Somali National Army forces are trying to reopen the highway linking the capital, Mogadishu, to Baidoa, 240 kilometers (150 miles) to the west. It’s one of three main roads linking Mogadishu the south, southwest and central regions.
Rono spoke to Somali service this week after al-Shabab militants ambushed an AMISOM supply convoy about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Mogadishu on Friday, killing at least 10 soldiers and destroying most of the 20 trucks. It was the latest of many deadly attacks the militant group has waged against the AU forces.
Al-Shabab was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011 and in following years lost control of almost all the country’s major towns. It had to resort to “difficult” guerrilla tactics, Rono said.
Rono said AMISOM soldiers repulsed another al-Shabab ambush Friday near the town of Fafahdhun in Somalia's Gedo region.
He said the soldiers killed 23 Al-Shabab fighters. Mohamed Hussein al-Qadi, the district's deputy governor, put the Shabab death toll at five.
“We learn from each incident,” Rono said. “But the nature of the asymmetrical warfare and fighting of insurgency makes you certain that this kind of thing will happen” again.
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