Heavy fighting between locals and al-Shabaab fighters has claimed lives of fourteen people in central Somalia.
According to reliable sources, the fighting took place in Shabelow village just 20km west of Ba’adweyn town of Mudug region.
The fighting flared up after heavily al-Shabaab fighters arrived in the village to inform the locals new imposed tax.
The local opposed the move, prompting heavy clashes between the sides which lasted for hours until Wednesday evening.
Chief of Shabelow village, Mohamed Ibrahim, who spoke to VOA by phone said the group was trying capture the village and impose tax on the villagers but locals contributed the group.
“Heavily-armed al-Shabab members first asked us to pass through our village, but in fact we found out they wanted to seize our village and we confronted them,” he said.
The chief said eight of the residents and at least six of al-Shabab fighters were killed in the fighting.
“They [al-Shabab] killed eight civilians, including elders who could not run away, and women, and I saw the dead bodies of six of al-Shabab fighters,” Ibrahim said.
The militant group briefly captured and torched houses before withdrawing.
