By Horn Africa News
BOSASO – Deadly clashes erupted early this morning in the rural area of Kala-Baydh, part of Bosaso District in Somalia’s Bari Region, leaving at least two people dead and three others injured, local sources have reported.
According to eyewitnesses, the confrontation broke out between two rival clan militias disputing ownership and access rights to a newly constructed water well in the area. The well, seen as a vital resource for the drought-prone community, has become a flashpoint in recent weeks as competing groups laid claim to it.
Regional authorities in Bari, Bosaso District officials, and community elders have intervened in an effort to de-escalate the violence and mediate between the warring sides. The renewed tensions come at a time when Puntland security forces are conducting ongoing operations in the region aimed at eradicating ISIS-linked fighters from the mountainous Cal-Miskaad range and surrounding areas.
Kala-Baydh holds strategic importance as it connects the Cal-Miskaad mountain operations with the port city of Bosaso and other key settlements across Puntland. Authorities fear that the current clan dispute could undermine security efforts in the region if left unresolved.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for initiating the clashes, and mediation efforts were still underway at the time of reporting.
