DHUSAMAREB, Somalia (KAAB TV) – The death toll from a fierce clan fight that erupted in central Somalia yesterday has risen to 50, with over 80 reported injured, according to Galmudug security officials.
The conflict, which has drawn national attention, saw both sides receiving reinforcements as local authorities called for immediate intervention from higher officials and community leaders.
“Since yesterday, we have tried to cease the fighting. The rival militia are still in their positions and we have not managed to remove them,” stated Galmudug’s deputy police commissioner, Lieutenant Colonel Abdiasis Ibrahim Adan.
He added that the injuries from Saturday’s conflict are significant. “We have collected about 50 bodies and recovered the injured. We estimate between 80 to 90. We have handed them to their families,” he said.
“They are very armed. You know all clans have heavy weaponry which they got to strengthen during recent military operations.”
The violent clash took place on Saturday morning in the Landheer area, situated between the towns of Caabudwaaq and Xeraale in the Galgaduud region. Journalists and officials have reported that the conflict, involving militias from the Mareexaan and Dir clans, stems from an old dispute over the ownership of a water well and surrounding rural villages.
The situation on the ground remains tense as there has been no official announcement of a ceasefire, and both sides continue to bolster their forces.
Plans to send officials, clan elders, and religious leaders
Injured militia members have been taken to Caabdudwaaq and Cadaado for treatment, but the conflict shows no signs of abating.
Galmudug authorities have announced plans to send officials, clan elders, and religious leaders to the area in an attempt to mediate and bring about peace. “I am very sorry for the renewed war in the Landheer area. It is not expected today; it is not irreversible. The president has already spoken about it and called for peace,” said Galmudug internal security minister, Mohamed Abdi Adan.
The intensity of the conflict is marked by the use of heavy weapons and machine gun-mounted vehicles. Reports indicate that government troops from the Galmudug region, representing both communities, have also participated in the clashes.
Tragically, among those killed in the fighting was the police chief of the Caabudwaaq district.
Claims to close the Caabudwaaq airport
Witnesses reported that bodies of the deceased lay at the scene until Saturday afternoon. One faction involved in the conflict claimed to have closed the Caabudwaaq airport, a critical facility that handles daily domestic flights from Mogadishu.
Sources indicated that there is a substantial risk if the warring militias, who possess anti-aircraft weapons, target civilian flights.
Religious scholars in Cadaado have called for an immediate halt to the fighting and urged the Galmudug administration to take decisive action to end the conflict.
“It is unfortunate and has caused heavy losses,” remarked one religious cleric called Abdi Omar.
The call for peace is echoed across the region as clan wars, exacerbated by the proliferation of weapons and the rise of armed clan-based militias, have led to increased fatalities in southern and central Somalia.
The local police have urged President Ahmed Qoorqoor of Galmudug, clan elders, and religious men to intervene swiftly to prevent further bloodshed and foster dialogue between the conflicting parties.