Africa

Tribes clash in central Somalia, up to six said dead

January 22, 2012   ·   262102 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fsomalilandpress.com%2Ftribes-clash-in-central-somalia-up-to-six-said-dead-26210Tribes+clash+in+central+Somalia%2C+up+to+six+said+dead2012-01-23+02%3A25%3A46Hassan+Alihttp%3A%2F%2Fsomalilandpress.com%2F%3Fp%3D26210

LAS ANOD — Two rival tribes clashed over pasture in Mudug province in central Somalia on Sunday and a local news bulletin cited a report that at least six people were killed.

Heavy fighting was reported to have broken-out between Puntland’s Majerteen clan and their southern Habar Gidir rivals of Galmudug State in the villages of Dameerale and Balibusle, located east of Galkayo.

An elder from the Balibusle told local news bulletin that he did not know the exact casualty figures but at least three men from Habar Gidir clan were killed in a reprisal attacks in Dameerale. “The relatives of two nomads who were shot dead on Friday in Balibusle village by militia from Galmudug carried out a revenge attack, they killed at least three members of the militia,” he said. However, unconfirmed reports put the figures from Sunday attacks up to four dead and two more were said to have sustained injuries. Elders from the Habar Gidir clan blamed the attacks on militia from Puntland.

Balibusle was the site of a gruesome murders in June 2011 when Habar Gidir militia killed at least 11 people including a two-month old baby. Furthermore at least 13 were injured in the attacks that targeted passengers traveling with a lorry. Now locals fear the lack of pasture, water and the recurring drought could widen the clash into a new direct civil war.

In addition to the violence in among the two pastoral communities, there has been evidence of cross-border attacks in recent weeks, badly fraying relations between Majerteen-Puntland and Habar Gidir’s Galmudug State.

Classified as a failed state, Somalia has not had a functioning central government for more than 20 years and has been wracked by fighting between various militias and mini-states.

Somalilandpress
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Sunday, Jan 22, 2012

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By Hassan Ali

Tags: Habar Gidir, Majerteen, Mudug, Puntland, Somalia, Tribe