UPDATE: Five siblings, deputy police chief killed in Belet-Hawo fighting

GOOBJOOG NEWS|BELET-HAWO:   A deputy police chief and five children hit by a motor shell are among the rising casualties in the ongoing deadly clash between federal forces and Jubbaland troops in the border town of Belet-Hawo.

Medical and police sources said a motor shell landed on a homestead killing five children of the same family. Belet-Hawo deputy police commissioner Mohamed Abdi Nur and two of his bodyguards were killed in the fighting.

Federal forces are reported to have taken control of the town after receiving reinforcements. The Federal Government said ‘hundreds’ of Janan forces had been captured as pictures of the alleged captives circulated online.

The developments follow earlier remarks by the Federal Government that the Jubbaland forces under the command of fugitive Jubbaland security minister Abdirashid Janan were deployed and supported by Kenya.

There was no immediate rebuttal from Nairobi on the accusations.