Over 20 Killed in Clan Clashes as Influx of Weapons Fuels Violence in Somalia

by: Horn Observer Contributor | 04 December 2024 01:24

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Over 20 Killed in Clan Clashes as Influx of Weapons Fuels Violence in Somalia

JOWHAR, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER) - At least 20 people, including women and children, have been killed in fierce clashes between rival clans in Somalia's Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan regions.

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JOWHAR, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER) - At least 20 people, including women and children, have been killed in fierce clashes between rival clans in Somalia's Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan regions.

The violence, fueled by the influx of recently supplied Egyptian weapons, has sparked a brutal and escalating conflict between two heavily armed militias.

The fighting began last Friday when Hawadle militia forcibly entered Xalfooley village, located on the border between Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan.

Local authorities and eyewitnesses reported that the conflict quickly spread to nearby rural areas, including Ceeldheere Buraale village, displacing hundreds of nomadic families.

Efforts by Somali government officials to mediate have failed.

Abdullahi Haji Qurow, commander of the 27th division of Somali government forces, and Hiiraan Governor Muse Salad visited the conflict zone to negotiate a ceasefire.

However, their attempts were rejected by the militias, forcing the officials to return empty-handed.

"We are unable to do anything to stop this deadly war," Commander Qurow admitted grimly.

Distrust among the warring parties has further complicated efforts to end the violence.

The Abgaal militia accuses Governor Muse Salad—a former Hawadle militia commander—of bias, making him an unacceptable mediator.

Additionally, suspicions have been raised that Commander Qurow may be sabotaging the process, exacerbating the conflict.

Meanwhile, reports from Mogadishu suggest that the influx of weapons and ammunition into the region has significantly increased the sale of arms on the black market.

Sources indicate that recently supplied Egyptian weapons have flooded the market, enabling clan militias to acquire more firepower and escalate the conflict further.

A local elder, Mohamed Osman, accused the Somali Federal Government of fueling the violence for political gain.

Osman alleged that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is arming militias aligned with him to destabilize the region ahead of the overdue Hirshabelle elections.

"Hassan Sheikh is supplying weapons to ensure his loyalists take control of Hirshabelle's leadership," Osman claimed.

These allegations have been echoed by some Hirshabelle authorities, who believe the president is creating division in the region to delay elections and extend the term of the Jowhar-based administration—a move fiercely opposed by local opposition groups.

Adding to the tension, Egypt has delivered significant consignments of military equipment to Somalia since September, including anti-aircraft guns and artillery.

This development follows strained relations between Somalia and Ethiopia over Somaliland-Ethiopia agreements on the Red Sea.

Analysts suggest that Egypt, a longtime rival of Ethiopia, is leveraging this rift to strengthen its influence in Somalia.

Security experts warn that if these weapons continue to flow into the hands of rival clans, Somalia risks plunging into another catastrophic conflict reminiscent of the 1990s.

During that period of civil war, heavily armed clan factions battled for control of towns and cities, including Mogadishu, triggering one of the worst humanitarian crises in the country’s history.

As violence escalates, concerns are growing about the broader implications of the conflict on Somalia’s fragile peace and the volatile geopolitics of the Horn of Africa.