Residents flee Southern Somalia village as fighting intensifies

Hundreds of people have fled their homes in and around Bariire village, only 30 kilometers south of the agricultural town, Afgooye as fighting intensified.

The exodus follows outbreak of fighting in the last two days between Somali government forces and Al-Shabaab fighters

Bariire residents say the fighting is intense, with Al-Shabaab fighters firing continuously from pick-up trucks mounted with heavy weaponry in the outskirt of the village.

Families were leaving the village and the surrounding areas to Afgooye town and its environs and were moving in response to reports of renewed fighting and a fear that “the fighting will go on for some time”

“Many families are taking advantage of this calm before the situation changes due fighting, to reach safety,” the resident, Farah Abdullahi, said. “I have just taken my children to Afgooye locality which lies of south Mogadishu.”

Afgooye officials said hundreds reached the village.

“People came here and they are struggling to get the basics including food, water and shelter and water. There are no aid agencies operating in the area to help displaced people,” said a local official in Afgooye town.

The move comes less than 24 hours after drone which Al-Shabaab said it had been on a reconnaissance mission above their territories crashed in bariire village

Al-Shabaab have recently rammed up attacks against AU and Somali forces in the Lower Shabelle region, which has seen a surge of attacks.