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Africa Horn | |||
Govt troops fight each other over clan loyalties in Lower Shabelle | |||
2013-07-28 | |||
MARKA, Somalia -- Somali government troops fought each other along clan loyalties last week in Lower Shabelle region, and the federal government has dispatched a ministerial delegation to resolve the violent dispute over regional influence, Garowe Online reports.
The fighting erupted after one group of government soldiers attacked another group of government soldiers at El Warego village near Marka. Renewed fighting occurred on July 25 in Janale area, local reports said. On July 26, Lower Shabelle Governor Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Sidi accused unnamed groups in Mogadishu of "fuelling" the conflict in Lower Shabelle region. "Clan fighting among government troops is unfortunate. The fighting is fuelled from Mogadishu by select groups who are responsible for it," said Governor Sidi.
Speaking to reports later that day, Minister Guled declared that a "ceasefire" had been reached and that government troops and AMISOM forces were now in control of areas where the fighting occurred. Minister Guled said the government officials had meetings with traditional elders to try and diffuse clan tensions in the region. Local reports say political tensions have been heightened in Lower Shabelle region in recent months, as the Biyamal clan the native residents of Lower Shabelle region clashed with Habar Gedir clan members, who settled in Lower Shabelle region since the outbreak of Somali civil war in 1991. According to a new report from the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, the 3rd Brigade of the Somali National Army (SNA) controls the Afgoye-Marka area of Lower Shabelle region. "The 3rd Brigade is principally drawn from the Hawiye / Habar Gedir / Ayr clan. It consists of approximately 840 men...General Mohamed Roble Jimale 'Gobale' (Hawiye / Habar Gedir / Ayr), a close associate of Indha'adde, officially controls the 3rd Brigade", according to the UN report. The report alleged that areas under the control of the 3rd Brigade have been "heavily infiltrated by Al Shabaab" and that 3rd Brigade troops have "repeatedly been involved in setting up illegal checkpoints and harassing civilians, including raping women", the UN report noted. Citing military intelligence sources, the UN report stated: "During the course of 2012, 3rd Brigade has engaged in skirmishes with at least one other SNA brigade (6th Brigade)."
Gobale, a former warlord in Kismayo and now government military officer, commands Indha'adde's clan militia aiming to exert Habar Gedir clan influence and domination in Lower Shabelle region and thereby exacerbating clan tensions in Lower Shabelle region. | |||
Posted by:Steve White |