MOGADISHU (Rooters, heavy spin) - Fighting flared on Monday between Islamist forces and troops from the semi-autonomous northern enclave of Puntland in Somalia, which many fear is on the verge of all-out war, the Islamists said. The Islamists said soldiers from Puntland -- whose leaders oppose the religious movement's aim to put Somalia under sharia rule -- ambushed them in the morning backed by fighters loyal to a warlord kicked out of Mogadishu earlier this year.| Excellent! Let's hope the Punters have some military training and discipline. |
"We were attacked this morning by Puntland troops armed with heavy technicals," Islamist defence chief Sheikh Yusuf Mohamed Siad "Inda'ade" told reporters in Mogadishu, using the Somali term for pickups turned into battle-wagons. "They ambushed our troops when they were sleeping."
Islamist sources said the fighting was taking place near Galinsoor, which lies about 60 km (40 miles) south of Puntland. "We were attacked by Puntland troops accompanied by fighters loyal to Abdi Qaybdiid," one Islamist commander told Reuters by telephone from the field, referring to the warlord kicked out of Mogadishu. There was no immediate information on casualties.
Puntland authorities, who have frequently vowed to resist any attempted Islamist expansion from the south into their province, could not immediately be reached.
The Islamists had moved in recent months to Galkaayo on the border of Puntland, which largely runs its own affairs and is Yusuf's home turf. Islamist defence boss Mohamed said Puntland president Adde Muse had been "waging propaganda" against the Islamists since they set up a new sharia court in Galkaayo four months ago.
Thousands of troops from Ethiopia -- which regards the Islamists as terrorists -- are said by witnesses to be inside Puntland and Baidoa. Addis Ababa denies that, saying only that it has sent a few hundred military trainers to Baidoa. "There are some Ethiopian troops in Baidoa who are training the government forces," said Haji Mahamud Haji Mohamed "Barbar", commissioner for the Bay region in which Baidoa lies. "Whoever is saying the Ethiopians have taken over security of the town is lying. Our troops and the police are patrolling the city 24 hours," he told Reuters.
Both the Islamists and the interim government's forces are facing off near Buur Hakaba, a town 30 km (20 miles) from Baidoa on the road to Mogadishu.