| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa Horn |
| Ten killed As Shaboobs attack El-Barde |
| 2013-08-31 |
| HUDUR, Somalia -- Heavy fighting erupted in Bakool regional district of El-Barde of southern Somalia between Somali government forces and Al Shabaab militants on Thursday night, Garowe Online reports. Local reports say that Al Shabaab fighters attacked the town from different directions by seizing some parts of El-Barde shortly. At least ten persons including two civilians and eight others from the opposing sides died in the battle, according to witnesses. Witnesses also reported that Al Shabaab fighters fled the town after Ethiopian troops reinforced the Somali Federal Government forces. “The fighting lasted for more than one hour, we heard heavy gunfire and mortars hit built up areas in the town,” a traditional elder said by telephone from El-Barde. The Somali Federal Government officials in Bakool region told that the attack on El-Barde was intended to terrorize the locals. Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group controls vast vicinity in the region and government forces previously battled Al Shabaab fighters near Bakool regional capital of Hudur. |
| Posted by:Steve White |