Clan violence in Somalia leaves eleven dead

[Muruqmaal]

Clan violence in Somalia leaves eleven dead

 

By Mohamed Olad Hassan

 

Mogadishu - Fighting between rival clans left 11 people dead and 22 wounded on Wednesday in an area of central Somalia where the president had intervened to try to bring peace.

 

The clashes in the Mudug region between the Sa'ad and Suleyman, rival groups within the ****** clan, began late on Tuesday near the port of Hobyo, 600km north-east of Mogadishu, residents of the town said on condition they not be named for fear of retaliation.

 

Sporadic fighting between the two subclans for control of the port in Hobyo has left more than 200 people dead since late 2004.

 

Last month, transitional president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed visited the region and reportedly arranged a cease-fire, but it has not held.

 

Yusuf leads a government in exile in neighboring Kenya and was on a brief visit home last month. His government was intended to return to Somalia and institute the first central government the country has seen since 1991. Despite having the support of most of the country's warlords, the government has been unable to return home because of insecurity.

 

Wednesday fighting was concentrated in villages south of Hobyo, where militiamen used truck-mounted heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms to battle for control of the region, forcing hundreds to flee their homes.

 

A hospital official reached by two-way radio reported that 11 bodies had been recovered from the fighting and 17 people were being treated for wounds. Most of the dead and injured were fighters, the official said.

 

Mohamed Amin, a doctor in the provincial capital Galka'yo, confirmed that five badly injured militiamen were admitted to the hospital there in critical condition. -

 

 

Source: Sapa-AP, Mar 23, 2005

[wind.talker]

This Mudug conflict has continued for a very long time. Recently, when fights broke out between sub-clans in Cabudwaaq, the traditional leadership from the clan-family (Western Galguduud, Somali Galbeed, Puntland) stepped in to put an end to the nonsensical bloodshed. When will the USC traditional leadership step in and do the same?

 

Its sad that Cismaan Caato is angered by peace attempts Gen Cadde Muuse has tried over the past month or so. What has he done to help stop the brotherly violence (other than inflame it, as the Suldan from Cadado recently alleged)?

 

Sad human tragedy. I pray for the innocents caught in the middle of a political fight.