26/08/08 (B462) Shabelle / Les milices somaliennes armées sous les ordres du Parlementaire Barre Shire dit Hirale ont commencé de nouvelles opérations contre les islamistes, dans la ville de Bardhere, la capitale de la région GEDO. Somali MP’s militias start maneuver against islamists (En Anglais – Info lecteur)

Armed militias led by Somali MP Barre Aden Shire aka Hirale have instigated new rounds of armed maneuvers in Bardhere town the provincial capital of Gedo region and the nearby undulating areas residents in the town said on Tuesday.

These bellicose movements were reported to be the first one that the militias accomplished since they have been expelled from Kismayo town where armed islamist fighters seized from militias in the town to wrestle the control of the town.

The militias were reported to be heading to areas in lower Jubba region where islamist based.

« Militias are marching on the southern part of Bardhere, they are watchful, they have additional battle wagons and want to go towards Kismayo for fighting with Islamists » Bardhere resident Hassan Abdi told Shabelle.

Pastoralists stated that they’ve seen unexpected militiamen with battle wagons in wilderness areas outside the town whose intentions are to move to neighboring lower Jubba region wherethey have been driven out from by islamist fighters.

Currently the town was partially following a heavy fighting between local militias controlled Kismayo and islamist fighters erupted that killed more than 100 people and injured 150 others.

The conflict is complicated by clan loyalties and the involvement of archenemies Eritrea and Ethiopia, who both back opposite sides in the fighting.

The last UN peacekeeping force in Somalia included American troops who arrived in 1992 and tried to arrest warlords and create a government.

The US involvement ended in October 1993, when fighters shot down a US Army Black Hawk helicopter during a battle that killed 18 American soldiers.

Since then, Ethiopian troops have helped Somalia’s fragile transitional government push the Islamists from power in Mogadishu and much of the south, but failed to establish security or improve living standards.