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More than four people were confirmed to have been killed and seven others wounded in a heavy battle between Kenyan army and al-Shabaab fighters in Gedo region of southwestern Somalia, reports said on Tuesday.
Reports from the battlefield said, the combat began after al-Shabaab militants targeted an explosion on Kenyan military convoy traveling on a road in El-adde area leading to Garbaharay town, the capital city of Gedo region near Somalia’s border with Kenya.
Somaliland army is reported to have seized control of the disputed eastern town of Buhoodle in Buhoodle region, near the Ethiopian border, without any confrontations. Reports said thousands of heavily armed soldiers moved into the town and neighboring villages early Sunday morning (local time) after they heard heavy gun fire from the town. They added a local tribal militia was testing their guns but were caught off-guard by surprise.
No casualties were reported but Somalilandpress has learned the army clashed with SSC tribal militia in the village of Sool-Jogto, about 25 KM east of Buhoodle city. After over-running them, they entered the city from two separate directions chasing the militia.
Armed groups affiliated to al-Qaeda calling itself as “the Islamic Jihad Group” took over on Saturday night a archaeological town of Rada’a and captured the famous castle of Alamiria and its mosque, local sources affirmed.
Local sources said that armed clashes between the militants and residents are still going, pointing out that the number of casualties are unknown.
Flocks of militants flow to the town, some 150 km southeast of the capital, Sana’a, amid fears of residents who worry of turning their town to a conflict battlefield, added the sources.
Yemeni analysts said al-Qaeda attempts to expand its control on Yemeni areas, pointing out that the capture on Rada’a will help al-Qaeda reach other Yemeni strategic areas.
The New Mon State Party (NMSP) will not meet with Burmese Minister of Railways Aung Min this month to discuss a ceasefire between the armed group and the central government, as the Tatmadaw continues with its military offensive in Kachin State, according to Mon sources.
“We have no plans to meet Aung Min because they [the Burmese government] have ignored our demand to stop fighting in Kachin State,” said Nai Hong Sar, the secretary of NMSP.
Aung Min requested a meeting with leaders of NMSP during the peace talks in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand, on December 23.
“Our policy is based on the decision of the UNFC [United Nationalities Federal Council]. We will not enter into a ceasefire alone. Instead of having an advantage, we are worried that we will have a disadvantage if we take the ceasefire individually,” said Nai Hong Sar.
Burma’s government signed a cease-fire agreement Thursday with ethnic Karen rebels in a major step toward ending one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies and meeting a key condition for better ties with the West.
The talks between officials and Karen National Union leaders were part of efforts by Burma’s new, nominally civilian government to seek international legitimacy through democratic reforms after years of military repression.
Colombia’s main leftist group suggested on Monday it is willing to reopen talks with the government.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, has been at war with the state since the 1960s. While severely weakened in recent years, the guerrilla group has continued to carry out kidnappings and attack security forces.
In a statement, the FARC said it would be interested in addressing certain issues at a “hypothetical negotiating table.” It called on the government of President Juan Manuel Santos to speak to such subjects as privatization, deregulation and the degradation of the environment.
The bullet-riddled bodies of the missing 10 were found dumped in Dabori town of the tribal area.
One security official said 23 soldiers were attacked in the late-night attack by up to 100 heavily armed militants.
“They killed 13 soldiers and took away 10. The bodies (of the 10) were found in Dabori today,” said another source on condition of anonymity.