Fear of more clashes in Middle Shabelle

At least 20 people have been killed in inter-clan fighting in the Middle Shabelle Region of south-central Somalia, sources in the regional capital Jowhar told IRIN on Tuesday. The fighting broke out on Monday after forces of the self-styled governor of Middle Shabelle, Muhammad Umar Habeb, who belongs to the Warsangeli sub-clan, attacked positions of forces loyal to Dahir Dayah, the interior minister of the Transitional National Government (TNG). The minister is a member of the Agon Yar sub-clan, which like the Warsengeli, belongs to the main Abgal clan that dominates the Middle Shabelle region. The fighting initially started in the village of El-Baraf, some 65 km north of Jowhar, and quickly spread south to Mahaday - a town of between 15,000 and 20,000 inhabitants, a local journalist told IRIN. "This fighting is a continuation of earlier fighting which took place between the two sides in Mogadishu," he added. Last month, forces loyal to Habeb attacked and looted the home of Dahir Dayah, killing a number of the minister's security detail. "The Agon Yar are out to avenge that attack," the journalist said. The fighting has displaced many families in Mahaday and the surrounding villages, which bore the brunt of the fighting, and where the two militias are currently confronting each other. "Mahaday is almost deserted, and many people are on the road to reach safer areas," the journalist said. Tuesday saw a lull in the fighting, but both sides are said to be redeploying to engage in more clashes, the sources in Jowhar said. "Both sides are busy burying their dead, and taking their wounded to hospital. At least nine wounded militia were brought to Jowhar hospital." With no mediation efforts by elders so far, hostilities are likely to resume soon, the sources added.