BALADWEYNE (Sh M Network)—At least 20 people have been killed and more than that numbers have also been injured in a deadly clan fighting at Deefoow area, 35 Km west of Somalia’s central town of Baladweyne, residents have said.
The deadly battle is reportedly erupted after heavily armed militias launched an assault on another militias positioned in the town, causing the death of 20 people, mainly fighters from both sides, a witness told Shabelle Media in Mogadishu.
“Heavy and slight weapons awoke us from the sleep earlier on Tuesday morning. We remain indoors because of the renewed fighting. Local residents could be harmed by crossfire. The town is under clan fighting in the past months” he added.
Somalia government and AU officials were unavailable to reach on the phone for comments on the renewed clan fighting that embarked on Deefoow locality, 35 Km west of Baladweyne town, the capital of Hiiraan region.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people— residents are reportedly started to flee from the town to another village in order to save their selves and properties, another witness who declined to be named told Shabelle Media based in Mogadishu by phone from the town.
He added that some of the residents who fled from the battle zones had nothing in their hands, adding that move came after Deefoow town is under clan militias’ fighting in the recent months that killed at least 30 people.
Djibouti forces serving under AU mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM peacekeepers had failed to intervene the armed clan fighters whose battles effected local residents living outside central Somalia town of Baladweyne.
The latest reports from the battle areas say that the gun fighting subsided. Tensions between rival warring sides have been running high in the town though sporadic gunfire could be heard in the town of Deefoow.
Somalia has been without an effective central government since the overthrow of the Siad Barre regime in 1991. Warlords and other militias fought under control of the Nation.
(Source: Shabellenews)
