EL WAK — At least six people have been killed in a fresh outbreak of inter-clan violence in El Wak district of Somalia’s southwestern Gedo region, local residents, elders and community sources said on Monday, sparking fears that the conflict could escalate into a broader confrontation.
The violence, involving members of the Marehan and Garre clans, erupted over the past 24 hours and included armed clashes and a series of retaliatory killings that have heightened insecurity in the border district near Kenya.
Residents told AFP that heavily armed clan militias have mobilized in and around several villages near El Wak, raising concerns of further fighting despite ongoing efforts by traditional elders to calm tensions.
“We have lost at least six people, and there is growing fear that the death toll could rise if the situation is not contained quickly,” a local community elder said on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
Witnesses reported that many businesses remained partially closed on Monday while transport and commercial activities were disrupted as residents stayed indoors or sought safety in neighboring areas.
The latest violence follows weeks of growing tension between the two communities, with local sources citing disputes linked to land ownership, grazing areas, political representation and local administrative control as factors contributing to the unrest.
Community leaders from both clans have appealed for restraint and urged young fighters to withdraw from frontline positions. Traditional elders have also begun consultations aimed at organizing a reconciliation conference to prevent the conflict from spreading to other parts of Gedo region.
“The situation is extremely delicate. We are calling on all sides to cease hostilities and allow elders to resolve the dispute through dialogue,” another elder involved in mediation efforts told AFP.
El Wak, a strategic town located along the Somalia-Kenya border, serves as an important commercial corridor connecting communities on both sides of the frontier. Analysts warn that prolonged instability could disrupt cross-border trade, affect local livelihoods and trigger population displacement.
Residents have called on both the Federal Government of Somalia and Jubbaland authorities to intervene urgently by deploying security forces and supporting peace initiatives aimed at restoring stability.
No official statement had been issued by Somali authorities regarding the latest deaths at the time of publication, and independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult due to limited access to some affected areas.
Humanitarian organizations monitoring developments in the region expressed concern that continued violence could worsen already challenging humanitarian conditions, particularly for vulnerable families dependent on trade and livestock.
Local elders, religious leaders and civil society organizations have renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire, warning that failure to de-escalate tensions could result in further loss of life and displacement in a region that has previously experienced cycles of clan-based conflict.
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