By HAN News Desk
AWDAL — Heavy fighting broke out early Sunday in Biya-dhaadheer village, near Garba-dadar district in Somalia’s Awdal region, leaving at least three people dead and several others wounded, local sources said.
The clashes, which began in the early morning hours, involved rival local militias from communities living in the Awdal region.
Witnesses described the fighting as intense, with the use of heavy and light weapons, forcing civilians to flee the area.
Local officials and residents said the death toll could rise as fighting was ongoing and access to the area remained limited.
Medical facilities in nearby towns were reported to be struggling to treat the injured due to shortages of supplies.
“The fighting is very intense, and casualties are mounting,” a local elder told reporters by phone, requesting anonymity due to security concerns. “This is not the first time these groups have clashed.”
The militias og Gudabirsi and Esse clans involved have previously fought over long-standing disputes, including control of land and local resources, according to community leaders.
Earlier clashes between the same groups had resulted in significant loss of life and displacement of civilians.
Security forces from Somaliland had not immediately commented on the fighting, and it was unclear whether authorities had deployed troops to contain the violence.
The Awdal region, which lies in northwestern Somalia, has generally been calmer than other parts of the country but has occasionally witnessed deadly inter-communal clashes fueled by unresolved grievances.
Local elders and civil society leaders have called for an immediate ceasefire and urged authorities to intervene to prevent further bloodshed.
