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| Africa Horn |
| Shabaab kicks Hizbul Islam out of Kismayu |
| 2009-10-02 |
| (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people including combatants were killed and 35 others wounded on Thursday after fierce battles between two main Islamist groups in Somalia's southern port city which fell to the hardline Al-Shabaab movement, medics and residents said. "We have so far received 35 five injured people while five dead bodies were also brought in," Yusuf Ali, a medic with the main Kismayu hospital, told Xinhua. Residents said that the at least ten others, including combatants from both sides, were also killed in the areas of the fighting in centre of the city. City of Kismayu, 500 km south of Mogadishu, is reported to be calm after the withdrawal of the Hezbul Islam militias out into the outskirts of the city. Residents in Kismanyu say heavily armed militia from the hardline Islamist Al-Shabaab movement could be seen around the key areas in the city after fighters of the presence Reports from coastal city indicate that residents who fled from city after the breakout of fighting are trickling back to their homes. Fighting broke out between the two allied Islamist insurgent movements in the early hours of Thursday morning after a row over control of the lucrative port in the coastal city. The row degenerated further and strained the two group's alliance over the week following the arrival in the city of heavily armed militia from Hezbul Islam faction. Al-Shabaab on Wednesday accused Hezbul Islam's commander in the city, Sheikh Madoobe, of provocation and trying to overthrow the "Islamic Emirates" in Kismayu, and declaring war on commander, warning Hezbul Islam to stay out or face war from Al Shabaab. Hezbul Islam officials however, responded by saying that declaring war on their commander in Kismayu is tantamount to declaring war on the whole faction and that fighting between the two sides would breakout "everywhere". Kismanyu, provincial of the Lower Jubba Province, has been a disputed area in Somalia ever since the overthrow of late Somali ruler Mohamed Siyad Barre in 1991, with a number of different clans co-inhabiting the port city the city has changed hands between the clan factions, and Islamist and government forces. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 fwiw, I think Al Shabbah translates approximately to "the separatists" and Hizbul Allah is probably "party of God". If this is correct it is a bit like the Empire (with Darth Sidious) vs the Separatists (with Count Dukoo) except without the light sabers and stuff. |
| Posted by: lord garth 2009-10-02 11:38 |