From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Mon Sep 28 2009 - 17:31:14 EDT
Beletwein traders fight govt troops, accusations of 'looting'
Sep 28, 2009 - 3:27:43 PM
BELETWEIN, Somalia Sep 28 (Garowe Online) - Somali government forces have
seized control of the provincial town of Beletwein after brief skirmishes
with Hizbul Islam insurgents, Radio Garowe reports.
The fighting erupted Monday morning after government forces entered
Beletwein from two directions and clashed with Hizbul Islam rebels.
Most of the fighting was concentrated at the center of Beletwein, the
provincial capital of Hiran region, including the town's central
administration building and the police station.
There were no reliable reports of casualties but at least 1 civilian was
wounded during the armed clashes, which stopped after Hizbul Islam rebels
withdrew from Beletwein.
Hundreds of people poured onto the streets afterwards to watch Somali
government forces take full control of the town's key areas, including the
main bridge that connects Beletwein's eastern and western neighborhoods.
'Looting'
A second round of fighting erupted midday Monday after Somali government
troops rolled into Beletwein's western neighorborhoods.
The fighting started after gunmen loyal to businesspeople in west Beletwein
began fighting the government troops, whom they accused of "looting" local
businesses.
At least 4 Somali soldiers were wounded during Monday's second battle,
including a senior military commander named Salad Hared, according to
government sources.
Currently, government troops and the militias are facing off across
Beletwein's main bridge and sporadic gunfire could still be heard inside the
town.
Local sources said there were "more casualties" during the second round of
fighting, but the reports could be independently verified.
Meanwhile, there is no information as to the whereabouts of Sheikh
Abdirahman Ibrahim Ma'ow, the Islamist governor of Hiran region who switched
loyalty from the Somali government to Hizbul Islam rebels last week. READ:
<http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Somalia_Pro-governme
nt_Islamist_figure_joins_opposition.shtml> Pro-government Islamist figure
joins opposition
Somali government forces were accused of looting businesses in west
Beletwein last month when they seized control of the town from insurgents.
Somalia: 4 killed in Mogadishu battle among govt troops
Sep 27, 2009 - 11:22:23 PM
MOGADISHU, Somalia Sep 27 (Garowe Online) - At least 4 people were killed
Sunday in Somalia's capital Mogadishu after government troops fought each
other, Radio Garowe reports.
The fighting erupted near the Villa Somalia presidential compound after
members of the presidential guard clashed with government soldiers on
patrol, witnesses said.
Sheikh Abdirisak Qeylow, who spoke for the soldiers on patrol, claimed that
the presidential guard attacked the soldiers on patrol and sparked the
fighting.
"There were casualties, some soldiers died," Qeylow told reporters, adding
that there is an investigation as to the cause of the battle.
At least 8 people including civilians were wounded during the fierce battle,
whereby the two sides used armed trucks.
It is not the first time government forces in Mogadishu have battled each
other. Since President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's election in January, the Somali
interim government has been unable to combine its armed forces into a single
unit, thereby causing violent clashes among the government's own security
forces.
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