MOGADISHU, Somalia (KAAB TV) – At least 20 people were killed and dozens more injured after two rival militias from Puntland and Galmudug fought over control of rural land and a water well in the western Mudug region of central Somalia on Thursday.
Independent sources reported that the fighting resumed early Thursday morning in the village of Jiicboor.
As both sides received reinforcements, the conflict spread to other villages, including Saaxqurun and Maygaag.
One resident described the scene to our reporter: “I saw 15 dead bodies and around 50 injured people being taken to various towns, including Galkayo. The civilians in the area are fleeing, and the area is full of armed militia.”
Galdogob District Commissioner Hassan Farah confirmed that both sides have used heavy weaponry, including anti-aircraft weapons and machine guns.
“Our fear is that the fighting might spill over into the main cities such as Galkayo and Galdogob,” he said, issuing an urgent call to end the conflict.
Locals in the rural areas have fled, with women and children being the most vulnerable. The fighting, which initially began on Sunday, has been sporadically occurring throughout the week. However, Thursday’s clashes have been the deadliest so far.
Tanks and technicals
The rival militias are from the Habargedir clan of the Hawiye and the Leelkase clan of the Daarood.
Allegations have surfaced that both groups are receiving additional weapons, ammunition, and reinforcements. Both sides have also mobilized tanks and technicals, escalating the potential for further deadly conflict.
Ministers from Puntland and Galmudug gathered late Thursday in a hotel in Galkayo city to discuss ways to end the fighting. The Somali federal government has yet to comment on the clashes, but Puntland and Galmudug authorities have issued statements calling for an immediate ceasefire.
“We call for an immediate end to the conflict and seek peace,” said Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni in a press release.
Puntland has sent a peace delegation to the area to mediate between the two sides.
Galmudug President Ahmed Abdi Qorqoor also called for peace and an unconditional end to the fighting. Former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has urged an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Despite these calls for peace, significant actions to end the recurrent deadly conflicts in Somalia remain elusive.
Clan militia groups are heavily armed with modern weapons. As the Somali government engages in warfare with al-Shabaab, clan militias have seized the opportunity to arm themselves, often with the help of corrupt officials diverting weapons and ammunition to their respective clans.
Since the collapse of the Somali government in 1991, clan militias have engaged in revenge conflicts without true reconciliation. A UN arms embargo on the country was partially lifted in December last year, facilitating the illicit flow of arms into Somalia, exacerbating the situation.