Fighting in Central Somalia Leaves Six Men Dead

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, June 07, 2003

Fighting in Central Somalia Leaves Six Men Dead

Heavy fighting flared up on Friday morning between Somali militiamen in a remote village in central Shabelleh region, leaving at least six men dead.

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Heavy fighting flared up on Friday morning between Somali militiamen in a remote village in central Shabelleh region, leaving at least six men dead.

The fighting between two rival groups supporting the warlord Mohamed Omar Habeb (Mohamed Dhereh) and warlord Muse Sudi Yalahow took place before dawn in Garas Dargay village, about 10 km south of Ragheh Elleh village, the scene of another fighting a week ago,between the same two groups.

Ragheh Elleh village is about 90 km northeast of Mogadishu, capital of Somalia. It is not known about the exact casualty figures as a result of this fighting, however warlord Mohamed Dhereh has admitted that he had lost six of his militiamen during the fighting.

Mohamed Dhereh has also admitted that his fighters had lost twovehicles including one battle wagon to those of Muse Sudi and has claimed that his men had seized one battle wagon from his opponents.

"I don't know if my militiamen have killed any of the fighters of Muse Sudi," he said.

There's no official word as yet from the side of warlord Muse Sudi over this fighting, however militiamen supporting him have claimed that they had taken control of both villages, Garas Dargayand Ragheh Elleh, which is now being claimed by Mohamed Dhereh.

Warlord Mohamed Dhereh has accused the other warlord Muse Sudi of deliberately attacking his militia positions and that he will shoulder the responsibility of the consequences of this fighting.

At least 18 people were killed during the fighting between the same two sides last week for control of Ragheh Elleh village whichhas an importance of linking Mogadishu to the Abgal clan dominatedregions north of the capital.

The two warlords both belong to the Abgal clan. This is the first time that one of the two warlords said in public that the fighting is in between their militiamen and this indicates how serious the political difference between the two men grew in recent days and the dispute is believed to be over the control of the Middle Shabelleh region.

Mohamed Dhereh is known to have returned back home last week from the Somali peace conference in Kenya and has been talking to Muse Sudi in an attempt of bring him onboard the conference, but the fighting for control of Ragheh Elleh village flared up betweentheir respective militiamen while the two men were together in Mogadishu.

This is yet another violation of the cease-hostility agreement signed by the Somali leaders in late October last year in Kenya during the early stages of the ongoing Somali peace conference.

The Ragheh Elleh village fighting flared up at a time when the fact-finding mission from the international community was visitingthe country to see the violations made against the Eldoret cease-hostility agreement as well as the modalities in which the variousSomali groups could be disarmed.

There is no a central government in Somalia since the ouster ofpresident Siad Bare in 1991. Many consider the Transitional National Government (TNG), which controls pockets of the capital and little else, as just one of the many, mostly clan-based, armedgroups vying for power and control across the country.

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