Hundreds flee Bardera town - gedo (jubbaland state)in fear of attacks

NAIROBI, 15 January 2009 (IRIN) - Hundreds of families are fleeing Bardera, the regional capital of the southwestern Gedo region, fearing clashes, locals told IRIN. Barlin Abdi Ogle, a civil society activist based in Bardera, said many of the displaced had moved to nearby villages to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Bardera was previously held by the Islamist group Al-Shabab but is now in the hands of a militia led by Col Bare Aden Shire, better known as "Barre Hiirale", a former defence minister in the Transitional Federal Government. Ogle said: "Our estimate is that 1,000 to 2,000 families [6,000 to 12,000 people] have already left the town. Many of them are in areas where there are no water points and far from the river; they really are at the mercy of the elements." She said since it was the season for outbreaks of waterborne diseases in the area, lack of clean water would make many IDPs susceptible to illness. She appealed for urgent help in the provision of shelter material, water and food. "Many of those who fled don't have shelter and the temperatures are very hot during the day," she said. more..http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=82375