Five die as Al-Shabab confront with local herdsmen in Mudug region

At least five fighters from both sides were killed and over ten others were wounded after the Al Shabab fighters clashed with local Somali herdsmen in a small village called Adaley in Mudug region.

According to witnesses, the fighting between the local herdsmen and the fighters of Al-Shabab begun on Saturday after the group asked the local herdsmen to pay livestock of camels and goats as forced tax usually taken by Al-Shabab militias.

The local herdsmen rejected the demands from Al-Shabab and started gathering light weapons to resist the fighters of Al-Shabab who returned the next day to collect the livestock from the locals, but the fighting started.

“three of the local herdsmen were killed and two others were wounded as the fighters of Al Shabab fled from the area.” said Farah Abdi a local resident who spoke to the media.

Meanwhile, Somali government forces sent reinforcing forces to assist the local herdsmen as the forces of the government provided ammunition and other support to the local people to fight against Al-Shabab.

There has been growing tensions between Al-Shabab and the locals in many parts of the region, following demands of forced tax by Al-Shabab against the locals in these regions.