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| Africa Horn |
| Ahlu Sunnah vows to take Al-Shabab stronghold |
| 2010-01-13 |
| [Iran Press TV Latest] At least 36 people have been killed and over 50 others injured in the third day of heavy clashes in central Somalia as Ahlu Sunnah attempts to take the Al-Shabab stronghold. Pro-government Ahlu Sunnah forces and Al-Shabab fighters fought for the second day in the central villages of Wabho and Warhole, in the Galgadud region, causing the death of at least 16 people while more than 30 others were injured, a Press TV correspondent reported on Tuesday. According to witnesses, the clashes started late on Monday and continued for the better part of Tuesday in both the villages, which are strategically important for the armed groups battling for control of the region. The villages, which are under the control of Ahlu Sunnah, are near Elbur town, where Al-Shabab's largest military base is located. Some reports suggest that Al-Shabab has deployed thousands of its fighters to defend the base from any incursion. However, Sheikh Abdullahi Abdirahman Abu Yussuf, a spokesman for the Ahlu Sunnah group, vowed that Ahlu Sunnah would not rest until they capture Elbur. "We will not rest until we make sure that the region, especially Elbur, is free of Al-Shabab. We are prepared to do everything," he added. He also claimed that Ahlu Sunnah forces killed several Al-Shabab fighters. "The fighting, which started early today (Tuesday) and stopped later in the day was intense. Some of the dead bodies of Al-Shabab fighters are scattered all over the place," the Ahlu Sunnah spokesman said, adding that the village, together with neighboring Warhole, is still under their control. Meanwhile, in the strategic central town of Beledweyne, which lies some 300 kilometers north of Mogadishu, heavy clashes between Hizbul Islam fighters and pro-government forces have claimed more than 10 lives while 23 others have been injured. According to Shuriye Farah Sabriye, Hizbul Islam's governor in the region, the battles were the fiercest clashes that the town has seen. Hundreds of families have evacuated Beledweyne due to the fighting. The death toll from Monday's fighting is reportedly over 10. Some of the victims were buried on Tuesday, before the resumption of the clashes. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 ION PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > AL-SHABBAB: BLACKWATER/XE MERCENARIES[US CIA-INTEL controlled] HAVE ARRIVED IN SOMALIA [Mogadishu], ostensibly to launch LOCAL US-ORDERED PROXY TERROR ATTACKS E.G. PUBLIC PLACES IN AND AROUND MOGADISHU. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-01-13 21:35 |