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| Africa Horn | |
| Somali Govt troops and farmers clash in deadly battle | |
| 2014-02-03 | |
| JOWHAR, Somalia -- At least five persons died and five others were wounded in a deadly battle between Somali Federal Government troops and armed farmers in Middle Shabelle region town of Balcad of southern Somalia on Sunday morning, Garowe Online reports. The fighting broke out after quarrel over farmland tax degenerated into shoot-out, with witnesses reporting that angry farmers seized the control of the areas where the battle occurred from government soldiers. Speaking-on Mogadishu-based radio station, elder Abdullahi Mohamed said that Somali government forces under the command of Balcad mayor began the gunfire: "Of the five people who were killed in the deadly clash, two of them succumbed to their injuries" he said via telephone from Balcad town. The deaths included fighters from the opposing sides while government soldiers retreated from the town, residents said. Balcad, about 36km north-east of Mogadishu was liberated from Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab militants on 26th of June 2012.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 "Abdullahi Mohamed said that Somali government forces under the command of Balcad mayor began the gunfire" So, the Mayor wasn't getting a big enough cut? |
| Posted by: tipover 2014-02-03 02:35 |