June 09, 2007
By Mohamed Abdi Farah
SomaliNet

Militia loyal to former defence leader of the defeated Islamic Courts Union Yusuf Mohamed Inda-Adde have taken control of Bulo-Mareer and Qoryoley towns in lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia on Saturday after heavy fighting with soldiers loyal to the newly appointed governor for the region.

At least five people were reported killed and seven others wounded in an armed confrontation with Ethiopian regime-backed forces in two towns of lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia.

The fighting began yesterday afternoon in Bulo-Marer town 130km southwest of Mogadishu where government forces led by the governor of Lower Shabelle clashed with militiamen loyal to former ousted Islamists.

Witnesses told Somalinet that the clashes in Bulo-Marer killed two people from both sides and wounded six others, two of them civilians.

The fighting then spread to Qoryoley town 23km northwest of Bulo-Marer where three people were killed and another one was wounded.

The fighting in Lower Shabelle region was related to a row over the control of the region between the newly named administration and the former authority.

The new governor of lower Shabelle, Abdukadir Sheik Mohamed Nor, and his soldiers went to an unknown location after they were defeated in the latest fighting.