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| International |
| Rival militias clash in Somalia |
| 2002-06-17 |
| Heavy fighting has flared up between rival militiamen in the fertile Middle Shabelle region of southern Somalia. Supporters of Dahir Dayah, the interior minister of the Transitional National Government, clashed with forces loyal to warlord Mohamed Dhere, who controls the regional capital of Jowhar, some 90 kilometres north of Mogadishu. According to eyewitnesses contacted on VHF radios in the Mahadday district, close to the fighting, the two sides started exchanging heavy gunfire outside the village of El-Baraf, about 150km north of Mogadishu, just after morning prayers. The eyewitnesses confirmed seeing more than 13 battle wagons and hundreds of heavily armed militiamen from both sides. At about noon on Monday, the fighting seemed to have spread close to the Mahadday district in the villages of Ali-Foldhere and Magurti. It is difficult to obtain exact figures about the casualties as the fighting is still raging. However, independent sources have confirmed that at least 19 people were killed and more than 30 others wounded from both sides. They aren't done yet. They'll let us know when they are. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |