MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Fighting in central Somalia’s Galmudug state between the Somali army bolstered by regional forces and Ahlu Sunnah fighters has left at least 120 people dead and more than 600 wounded over the past three days.
It came after clashes broke out on Saturday in the town of Guriel following the advance of allied forces. Both sides have blamed each other for the attack that had triggered three days of ferocious gun battle.
The gunfight which continued until Monday evening in the central Somalia state’s second largest district of Guriel has also displaced at least 100,000 people, the United Nations said in a statement.
“At least 120 people died and 600 were injured from both sides,” Hassan Yare from ASWJ told Reuters News Agency on Monday, adding that the Sufi group intended to fight until their “last man died”.
The battle resulted in the death of a number of military commanders, including those of US and Turkish-trained government troops and rival fighters.
Somalia’s government continues to send reinforcements to the town to help drive rival forces from Guriel and airlifted hundreds of troops since Saturday, adding to thousands of armed forces members deployed in the region over the past weeks.
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