15 killed in clashes in Mogadishu, Government troops besiege Baladweyn town

People help remove an injured victim from an ambulance vehicle at a hospital in Mogadishu. (file photo)

Heavy clashes between Somali government troops and al-Shabab fighters have left at least 15 people dead and 17 others wounded in Mogadishu. Most of the displaced live in poor and degrading conditions on makeshift sites in southern and central Somalia, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Twelve people -- mostly civilians -- lost their lives and 14 others suffered injuries in battles in which government troops backed by African Union peacekeepers gained control of Mogadishu's northern districts, which were previously controlled by al-Shabab fighters. In addition, three al-Shabab fighters were killed and three others sustained serious injuries in an exchange of fire with Somali soldiers in the southern district of Daynile, the terror free somalia  correspondent in Mogadishu reported. Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, when  Hawiye USC  with  isaaq SNM warlords overthrew former Mohamed Siad Barre. Over the past two decades, up to one million people have lost their lives in the fighting between rival factions and due to famine and disease. There are more than 1.4 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Somalia. More than 300,000 IDPs are sheltering in Mogadishu alone. 

Government troops besiege Baladweyn town
 Daybreak report which terror free somalia  website has received from Baladweyn town the provincial headquarters of Hiran region in central Somalia says that a battalion of the Somali government troops has besieged Baladweyn town which is one of the strongholds of Al-Shabab which a rival Islamist faction, which proudly says it is an Al-Qaida proxy in the war ravaged country Somalia.  
Al-Shabab fighters have also been doing military maneuvers within the town instantly after having known that government troops have besieged the town.
“Immediately after the evening prayers the Al-Shabab fighters could be seen driving their Toyota pickups which were mounted with antiaircraft guns to an fro in the town, and we the residents of Baladweyn we instantly  came to know that there is tension somewhere within the range, after something with an hour later we came to know that the town is besieged by the Somali government troops, but so far there is no confrontation which has taken place between the two rival parts” say a resident in the town of Baladweyn town who has requested is name not be used in the media.
This fellow has also added that the Al-Shababs have instructed to limit their movements after 9:00pm and remain indoors.
The possibility of confrontation to take place between the two sides is very likely for they are great foes to each other, and there were several other occasions when the two sides have confronted in the town.
The report also adds that the government troops in the outer edge of the town have excavated strong trenches for defenses.