The latest in Belet-Hawo: Federal government and Jubaland forces breaks out fighting

Photo/Somali Times




Belet-Hawo-Fighting broke out in the border town of Belet-Hawo in Gedo region Monday morning between Somali federal forces and Jubaland troops displacing people from their homes. The fighting which happened in Border Point One area near the Kenyan border caused panic as locals fled from their homes, a source in the town told Somali Times.

The clash comes barely two days after hundreds of Jubaland forces arrived in Belet-Hawo and station on the side of Elwak. The two sides clashed in mid-February lead to the death of two soldiers as the Federal Government increased troop deployment in the region.




The U.S last week demanded the withdrawal of the federal forces in Gedo region terming it a misplacement of priorities. “The deployment of SNA troops to politically motivated offensive in Gedo in Jubaland is unacceptable and diverts resources from agreed roadmap for security operations,” U.S Political Coordinator to the UN Rodney said. There was no immediate report on the casualties in the Monday morning clash.