Islamist militants attacked a Somali police station

[Koora-Tuunshe]

Islamist militants attacked a Somali police station on Thursday, triggering heavy clashes with police, an official told AFP, a day after 35 people were killed in the countryside.

 

"The insurgents attacked Waberi police station, triggering a heavy exchange of fire," said Ibrahim Mohamed Ali, a police official.

 

"I do not have any casualty figures at the moment, but I can assure you that rockets and other machine guns were used."

 

The clashes came a day after at least 23 were killed near the village of Garsani, some 300 kilometres north of Mogadishu, when insurgents ambushed an Ethiopian military convoy.

 

Several witnesses said at least 13 civilians and eight Ethiopian soldiers had been killed in the fighting, while the insurgents admitted to losing two fighters in the battle.

 

Late on Wednesday Ethiopian forces killed at least 12 nomads in Walaweyne, about 90 kilometres east of Mogadishu, bringing the death toll to 35.

 

"Those nomads were setting up their makeshift camp in Almore village when they were killed by Ethiopia forces who had been ambushed by insurgents on a nearby road," said Sheikh Mohamed Addow, another elder.

 

"The Ethiopians slit throats of some people," he added.

 

Another elder, Ali Omar, confirmed the death toll and said the bodies were being prepared for burial.

 

"So far, the team has collected 12 bodies that are now in the Yakbiriweyne mosque. We will bury them in a mass grave," he told AFP.

 

Islamist insurgents confirmed they had ambushed the Ethiopians.

-AFP