Islamist Insurgents in Somalia Attack Convoy of Government Officials, Several Dead

A heavy battle erupted early Monday morning at Halgan district, 41kilometres north of Bulo Barde in central Somalia after Islamist insurgents attacked a convey of government officials of both Hiraan and middle Shabelle regions who were looking for Islamist hide outs, leaving several dead, officials and residents told APA.

The officials from both regions and their soldiers were on military operations in these suspected districts where Islamists were suspected of hiding since insurgents last week captured the agricultural town of Jowhar, in middle Shabelle region about 90 km from Mogadishu.

The battle briefly began at Halgan and later spread into Bulo Barde as the insurgents overpowered the government soldiers and captured part of their armored vehicles, according to the residents.

“They [Islamist] are in Bulo Barde and have full control of the district. They were chanting ‘God is great’ when they were entering the village, and all the government soldiers escaped from the scene,” Burashiil Ibrahim, one of the elders of Bulo Barde told APA by telephone.

“I saw five dead soldiers and several injured being rushed to hospital in a mini-bus,” he added.

Yusuf Hagar, the governor of Hiiran and Ahmed Omar, an official from middle Shablle, escaped by foot after the Islamists briefly overran their place.

“We torched one battle wagon and captured five others including the governor’s comfortable car. We attacked even their hotel and they all ran without shoes. We are chasing them and we will soon capture them,” Abdi Rihin Isse Adow, spokesman of the Islamic Courts Union in charge of military operation told APA.

Last week, Islamist fighters briefly seized the town ship of Jowhar, 90km north of Mogadishu and took government vehicles while they freed some prisoners.

Meanwhile, sporadic gunfire rocked north Mogadishu that left a policeman and five others injured when insurgents attacked a government base occupied by soldiers near Florence intersection on Monday.

In another battle in Eel Ade in north-east Mogadishu on Monday, one policeman died and four others were injured when insurgents attacked their base and also they took one armored vehicle.

Somalia had been plunged into anarchy after the overthrow of Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, and since then, there has been no effective central authority, leading to constant inter-clan war which left thousands killed or displaced.

Source African Press Agency

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