Heavy Fighting Flares up in Somali Capital

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, May 25, 2002

Heavy Fighting Flares up in Somali Capital

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Heavy fighting flared up between the opposing militiamen loyal to Mohamed Omar Habeb and those of the interior minister of Somalia's Transitional National Government (TNG) on Friday in Karan district of northern Mogadishu.

According to eyewitnesses, uniformed militiamen loyal to Habeb belonging to the Ethiopian-backed Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC), using about ten battle wagons, have attacked the residence of the interior minister who at the time ofthe attack had been in his house.

TNG Interior Minister Dahir Dayah remained confused, but he said the militiamen of Habeb attacked his house.

Even though the two men each support a different political entity, still both of them belong to the same main Abgal clan.

It is not yet known about the exact number of casualty figures from any side, but eyewitnesses and small treatment centers have together confirmed the death of at least eight combat militiamen from both sides and more than 20 others, mainly civilians, wounded.

Habeb whom Xinhua spoke with has admitted attacking the residence of the interior minister, claiming that he was responsible about what he called the creation of hostility among the people in Middle Shabelleh region.

Haben, a former MP in the government, has defected to the Ethiopian-backed SRRC about a year ago and took control of Jowhar town, 90 kilometers north of Mogadishu.

Habeb said he has dislodged Dahir Dayah from his house and tookcontrol of the house and the entire area surrounding the residenceof the interior minister.

But, Information Minister of the TNG Abdurahman Ibbi has deniedthat the house and its surrounding area has fallen for Habeb and his militias.

Those militias have come close to the house, but have never taken control of the area, said Ibbi.

Nonetheless, the ordinary people fleeing the fighting in the area have confirmed the fall of the house for the militiamen of Habeb and that the entire house was looted.

Habeb said he has also captured two battle wagons from Dahir Dayah's militias and a considerable amount of ammunition.

Habeb has admitted on his side that his men have lost Dahir Tataleh, one of their best fighters, and several others of his militias have received shrapnel wounds.

The commander of Mogadishu's police forces, Colonel Abdi HassanAwaleh Qeybdid, said he has mobilized his forces so as to protect the minister and his house.

But it seems the reinforcement has been too late and that Interior Minister Dahir Dayah was evacuated safe and sound.

The fighting seems to have become less intensified in the afternoon even though each side is making more preparations for more fighting.

At the time being, there is no fighting even though sporadic gunfire could be heard occasionally, but if the government increases its presence and support for its interior minister, it might mean that warlord Muse Sudi Yalahow may also join the fighting because his headquarters is very close to the place wherethe interior minister lived. Likewise, both men, Habeb and Yalahow,belong to the same Ethiopian-backed SRRC.

The fighting on Friday has been the best and highest civilized one that ever took place in Mogadishu because so far there has been no reports of civilians killed for their clan affiliations.

But, still there has been occasions where stray rounds of bullets and mortar rounds have hit residential areas causing both fatalities and damage of property.

Somalia has been without central government since the 1991 ouster of Mohammed Siad Barre.

The TNG was set up after a conference of clan elders in 2000, but so far has failed to convince the warlords to accept its rule,and it controls only parts of the capital Mogadishu and pockets ofthe rest of the country.

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