Galgaduud (Kaab TV) – Reports reaching us from the Galgaduud region indicate that heavy fighting broke out this morning between the areas of Xiindheere and Qaayib.
The battle has been confirmed to be between Galmudug regional security forces and the Al-Shabaab group, which has been stationed in several parts of the region in recent months.
Eyewitnesses near the fighting zone report hearing heavy artillery and intense gunfire, prompting some residents to flee their homes to avoid being caught in the clashes.
So far, the exact number of casualties remains unclear, though preliminary reports suggest that both sides have suffered losses in deaths and injuries.
Officials from Galmudug have stated that the security forces are engaged in a major operation aimed at securing the areas near Qaayib and Xiindheere.
This fighting comes at a time when strong military movements have been observed in Galgaduud over the past few days, indicating that security operations in the region have entered a new phase.
In recent days, the central regions of Somalia have also witnessed deadly clan conflicts, rooted in longstanding clan vendettas.
It was on Wednesday night that brutal clan militiamen carried out an attack in Mircaanyo village in the Galgaduud region, raping a woman and her three daughters before killing them.
Today, reports indicate that the perpetrators of the killings in Mircaanyo where a mother and her three daughters were murdered have been captured by Galmudug regional security forces.
Following these incidents, civilians have begun fleeing rural villages such as Qaayib, Xiindheere, and Mircaanyo, fearing further violence as conflicts continue to escalate across Somalia’s central regions.
Local religious leaders, youth groups, and a Somali Member of Parliament have strongly condemned the recent atrocity in Mircaanyo, urging the clans of both the victims and perpetrators to exercise restraint.
Militias have grown stronger since the formation of the clan-based groups, which were armed by the Federal Government of Somalia and some regional administrations to fight Al-Shabaab. However, these same clan-based fighters are now turning against civilians, causing widespread suffering.