Fighting in Somalia's border town of Belet-Hawo displaces hundreds of families

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Fighting in Somalia's border town of Belet-Hawo displaces hundreds of families

BAARDHEERE, Somalia (Horn Observer) Hundreds of families have displaced their homes after fighting between forces loyal to federal government of Somalia and militias loyal to Abdikarin Janan, a fugitive wanted for war crimes by Somalia's governm

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SNA members engaged fierce gun battle with militias loyal to Abdikarim Janan in the town of Belet Hawo. Photo courtesy

BAARDHEERE, Somalia (Horn Observer) Hundreds of families have displaced their homes after fighting between forces loyal to federal government of Somalia and militias loyal to Abdikarin Janan, a fugitive wanted for war crimes by Somalia's government, witnesses said.

Witnesses and residents said that the clashes started after group of militias who defacted from Abdirkarin Janan’s militias left for the government leading the intense fighting that led the government forces stationed in Belet-Hawo to intervene, forcing Janan’s militias to cross the Kenyan border into the Mandera town, where Kenyan Defense forces sheltered them.

"We hardly escaped from our homes to seek shelter out of the town” Abdullahi Muse, a father of four said, "We could not bear the type of weapons used which was very terrorizing”

Locals said missiles launched by Kenyan Defense forces burned several houses in the town of Belet-Hawo.

There has been casualties reported from both sides, However, Horn Observer can not independently verify the exact casualties.

Somalia has long accused the Kenyan government for interfering its internal affairs by backing militias to fight against the SNA forces in the region. Somali government deployed thousands of newly trained SNA troops in Gedo region recently.

Abdirashid Hassan Nur known as Abdirashid Janan, who was held for crimes against humanity escaped the Mogadishu prison late January and left for Jubbaland where he was the Minister of Security.

#Gedo #Somalia Amb Yamamoto & @US2Somalia call for all sides to disengage from armed conflict around Beled Hawo. We call for a peaceful political solution to the conflict. All leaders need to be patient & deescalate for the benefit of all Somalis in the region.
— U.S. Embassy Mogadishu, Somalia (@US2SOMALIA) March 2, 2020

US Ambassador to Somalia Amb Yamamoto called for all sides to disengage from armed conflict around Beled Hawo.

"We call for a peaceful political solution to the conflict. All leaders need to be patient & deescalate for the benefit of all Somalis in the region.” Amb. Yamamoto said on Twitter

- Horn Observer -