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Africa Horn
Al-Shabaab capture central Somali towns
2008-12-08
At least 13 people have been killed and many others injured as the rebel al-Shabaab fighters seized a central Somali trading town.

Al-Shabaab fighters took control of Gurael - 370 km (230 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu - following three days of bitter battles with a government-allied group in the area, locals said. The fighting broke out after al-Shabaab fighters arrested a local religious teacher of that group.
"Hey! Gitcher mitts off our holy man!"
"I have counted 10 dead men myself. Six died yesterday and four were lying in the paths of the deserted town this morning. It is now under control of al-Shabaab," one local resident, Ali Aden, told Reuters by telephone from the area.

Meanwhile, more than 5,000 Gurael residents fled to the protection of nearby woods.

The capture of Gurael adds to the growing hold that al-Shabaab fighters have gained across south and central Somalia in a two-year insurgency against government and rebel forces. This is while al-Shabaab forces also took over the two central Somali towns of Mataban and Dhusamareeb on Sunday.
Posted by:Fred

#1  Shoulda just shot the god-botherer. It'd cause less trouble in the end.
Posted by: mojo   2008-12-08 12:39  

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