Somali Islamists say attacked near north enclave

MOGADISHU – Fighting flared yesterday between Somali Islamist forces and troops from the semi-autonomous northern enclave of Puntland which has resisted Islamist influence, Islamist sources said.

Islamists said they were under heavy attack near Somalia’s Puntland in a dangerous turn of events in the Horn of Africa nation that many fear is on the verge of all-out war. “Puntland troops attacked us 30 minutes ago in Galinsoor area,” one of the Islamist sources told Reuters, referring to a town near the province whose leaders have vowed to resist the Islamists’ expansion from Mogadishu in the south.If confirmed, the clash would be the first violence since peace talks between the Islamists and Somalia’s interim government broke down in Sudan last week.One Islamist commander in the field told Reuters his men had been ambushed by a combination of Puntland forces and fighters loyal to a warlord whom the Islamists kicked out of Mogadishu earlier this year.”We were attacked by Puntland troops accompanied by fighters loyal to Abdi Qaybdiid,” he said.”They attacked us with lots of heavy weapons and ‘technicals’,” he added, referring to the Somali term for pickups turned into battle-wagons packed with guns and fighters.There was no immediate information on casualties from the area of Galinsoor, which lies about 60 km south of Puntland.Authorities from Puntland could not be reached.The Islamists took Mogadishu and a swathe of the south in June in direct challenge to the aspirations of President Abdullahi Yusuf’s government to restore central rule to the chaotic country for the first time in 15 years.Puntland leaders have said on numerous occasions they would resist any attempt by the Islamists to extend their control into the northern province which largely runs its own affairs.Nampa-Reuters”Puntland troops attacked us 30 minutes ago in Galinsoor area,” one of the Islamist sources told Reuters, referring to a town near the province whose leaders have vowed to resist the Islamists’ expansion from Mogadishu in the south.If confirmed, the clash would be the first violence since peace talks between the Islamists and Somalia’s interim government broke down in Sudan last week.One Islamist commander in the field told Reuters his men had been ambushed by a combination of Puntland forces and fighters loyal to a warlord whom the Islamists kicked out of Mogadishu earlier this year.”We were attacked by Puntland troops accompanied by fighters loyal to Abdi Qaybdiid,” he said.”They attacked us with lots of heavy weapons and ‘technicals’,” he added, referring to the Somali term for pickups turned into battle-wagons packed with guns and fighters.There was no immediate information on casualties from the area of Galinsoor, which lies about 60 km south of Puntland.Authorities from Puntland could not be reached.The Islamists took Mogadishu and a swathe of the south in June in direct challenge to the aspirations of President Abdullahi Yusuf’s government to restore central rule to the chaotic country for the first time in 15 years.Puntland leaders have said on numerous occasions they would resist any attempt by the Islamists to extend their control into the northern province which largely runs its own affairs.Nampa-Reuters