...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...bully boys, multiple sources confirmed, in what could be a major setback in the ongoing crackdown against the group which controls large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.
According to sources, the faceless myrmidons ambushed a local fighter between Wisil and Shabeelow, triggering a fierce shootout between the two rival groups. Local militia have been integral in the fight against al-Shabaab, giving the Somali National Army [SNA] much-needed backup.
The fighting started after senior military and civilian officials who have been at the frontline went to a hill to get a better phone signal, only to be ambushed by al-Shabaab fighters who have been monitoring their movements in recent days, witnesses said.
According to sources who spoke to Voice of America, as many as 30 local fighters have died in the ensuing fighting. Among the dead is a senior military officer, and civilian officials who traveled from Galkayo town to stay with the troops, witnesses added.
Al-Shabaab faceless myrmidons claimed killing 58 people in the fighting and maimed over 70, but these casualty figures have not been independently verified. The group usually exaggerates numbers as part of their propaganda to scare civilians and security forces fighting to stabilize Somalia.