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Inter-clan fighting kills at least 9 in central Somalia: locals

Xinhua, May 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least nine people have been killed and more than ten others injured in heavy inter-clan fighting in the central Somali town of Beledweyne in the past two days, local residents say.

The residents told Xinhua that the fighting intensified on Wednesday with an exchange of heavy gunfire causing casualties on the two warring sides and civilians.

"The deadly battle started on Tuesday where three people were killed in two separate areas, but today the fighting was too heavy causing the deaths of six others from the two sides," a resident said.

He said some residents were killed by stray bullets at their homes and that the fighting was still going on.

The two clans have previously clashed over control of boreholes and pasture in areas around the town in Hiiraan region.

Deputy Governor of Beledweyne, Omar Ahmed, called on the warring parties to cease fire and requested the African Union peacekeeping force in the region to intervene.

Ugas Hassan, one of the most respected tribal chiefs in Hiiraan region, condemned the fighting and urged the two warring sides to stop fighting and embrace dialogue. Endit