Five dead as government forces clash in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - At least five soldiers died on Tuesday following an unprecedented clash with a group of police officers, sources said, in the latest standoff between security forces which could create an avenue for divisions and mistrust

The police officers engaged in a fierce gunfight against Somali National Army [SNA] within Mogadishu's Dayniile estate in what is believed to be a dispute over land in the neighboring slums according to multiple accounts of witnesses.

Heavy gunfire rented air for the better part of Tuesday, with either side firing indiscriminately while in official attires, witnesses said. Bodies of the soldiers were left lying in nearby thickets after a temporary ceasefire.

Dozens of soldiers from both sides sustained massive injuries and are said to have been rushed to the hospital for treatment. Both sides used official vehicles to maneuver within the region, witnesses added.

There has been a land dispute between Dayniile and Garaabaaleey local authorities and this is said to have triggered the gunfight. Both parties claim ownership of the land, a dispute which is said to have lasted for decades now.

In a country where land and clan play a pivotal role in the administration, the clashes are often witnessed when communities fight for the control of certain regions. The contested area belongs to the larger Mogadishu municipality.

But the escalating tensions between government forces could push the federal administration of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo to look for a lasting solution given that foreign forces are set to exit from the war-torn nation.

It's not the first time government forces are involved in heavy clashes. Last month, a standoff ensued between the police and SNA troops in the outskirts of Aden Adde International Airport following a crackdown against Al-Shabaab militants.

The forces clashed while pursuing militants who had fired mortar shells at the heavily fortified Halane Base Camp in Mogadishu. Several troops from either side suffered heavy casualties, but the government remained tight-lipped about the incident.

But the latest incident has raised questions from among members of the public, who agree that such actions could plunge the Horn of Africa nation yet again into unprecedented anarchy after decades of searching for peace and stability.

"This is very sad and totally unacceptable. How can this happen time and again without any explanations to the public or repercussions on commanding officers? " wondered Aw Hirsi, a former Jubaland minister for planning.

"Most of the so-called Somali army are militias loyal to their clan warlords & the govt failed to successfully integrate them into the national army. They’re ragtag militias and read about them in this report," Farah Mohamed, a resident of Mogadishu.

Nasteha Abdirahman, a security analyst for the Horn of Africa, called for an immediate ceasefire and subsequent reforms that would ostensibly focus on divisions among security forces, who are set to take over from AMISOM troops next year.

"The security sector reforms need to also take into account such issues. Pro-government forces cannot keep working against each other like this. It'll do more harm than good," she said in a tweet.

Such clashes have also been witnessed in Gedo region after SNA troops and Jubaland forces opened fire against each other. The incident has been subjected to retribution from members of the international community.

GAROWE ONLINE