At least 13 people have been reported killed in clashes in Kismayo in recent days between Habar Gidir and Marehan clan allies on the one hand and the Absame clan on the other, with many more injured. The fighting was reportedly triggered by ownership of some 'technicals' - the pick-up trucks manned with heavy machine-guns favoured by Somali clan militia groups. According to Somali media reports on Wednesday, calm had returned
to the town as intellectuals from the different clans attempted to broker a peace deal that would prevent a recurrence.
Meanwhile, fifteen people were reported killed on Monday in a gun battle in Balad, north of Mogadishu, between the Daud and Matan-Abdulle sub-clans of the Abgal clan, news agencies reported on Tuesday. Eight of the dead were civilians killed by shelling and indiscriminate machine-gun fire at the residential part of town, according to AFP.
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