File Photo/Somali Times
The Hargeisa administration has said that 9 soldiers were killed in an attack by the Ga’an Libah Mountains rebels on a police force in the Sahil region.
Hargeisa SNM militia leader Muse Bihi and Minister of Interior Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, who spoke to the media, said that an ambush was carried out on the army. At least nine soldiers were killed, and 17 others were wounded in an ambush attack on police officers by the anti-government rebel militia based in Ga’an Libah Mountains on Friday.
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“A police force that was going to Goda-Yar came into the middle, they came in a strong number, they killed the army, they killed 9 soldiers and wounded 17 soldiers,” Mohamed Kahin said.
The commander said that the army did not have any fear of violence and that they did not have an order to fight. They were on a trip when they were attacked.
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“Since this happened and the police force was killed, the duty of the police force is to defend itself and to defend the nation. From now on, the police force has the authority to take appropriate action against those men,” Mohamed Kahin said.
Minister Mohamed Kahin also said that they could not take action because of a request from the merchants and businessmen, and the governor candidate of the Wadani Party, Abdirahman Irro, accused that the peace efforts did not proceed in his direction.
Irro, who spoke to the media last night in Borama, called for a peaceful end to the situation, calling on the armed rebels to lay down their arms.