Somalia Troops, Regional Militia Clash Near Kenyan Border

(Bloomberg) --

Heavy fighting broke out between Somalia's forces and militia allied to a fugitive regional security minister near the border with Kenya, police said.

The violence began when the militia loyal to Abdirashid Janan -- a security minister of the regional Jubaland administration who escaped from jail in the capital, Mogadishu -- attacked the soldiers in Beled Hawo town.

Jubaland has had some political autonomy since 2013 and is among Somali states jostling for more autonomy and control over oil, gas and other resources. Somalia's central government is wary of Jubaland's president, Mohamed Islam Madobe, who leads a powerful militia that fought alongside Kenyan troops against the Islamist group al-Shabaab to recapture Kismayo's port in 2012.

“Our forces repulsed the attackers who were getting support from Kenyan forces guarding the border between Kenya and Somalia,” Kalil Hassan, a policeman, said by phone. “We have fully captured the base from which they initially mounted the attack.”

The two groups exchanged artillery and machine-gun fire, which destroyed a lot of property and forced people to flee the town, Mohamed Adam, a resident, said by phone.

Kenya police said it had “deployed security officers appropriately to ensure peace and tranquility prevails in the country,” according to a statement on Twitter. Security teams are on alert to block any militants “straying into the country,” it said.

Janan was arrested in August for crimes including “serious human rights violations,” but escaped detention in January and fled to neighboring Kenya, Amnesty International said last month while demanding for his return to Mogadishu to face justice. The minister is reported to have later returned to Kismayo.

Diplomatic relations between Somalia and Kenya deteriorated in 2019 after both claimed ownership of an offshore area believed to be endowed with oil.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mohamed Sheikh Nor in Mogadishu at msheikhnor@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Gordon Bell at gbell16@bloomberg.net, Helen Nyambura, Hilton Shone

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