By Jama:
Adale, Middle Shabelle, HirShabelle, Somalia –
Last week, a violent conflict erupted between two Abgal sub-clans, Abdalle Arone and Mohamed Muse, in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region.
The clashes, allegedly caused by land disputes, resulted in significant casualties on both sides, with at least 12 people killed and 23 others injured. Additionally, the clan militias set ablaze two villages belonging to Mohamed Muse.
Reports indicate that officials from Adale and Rage Elle, towns situated near each other in the Middle Shabelle, were involved in the conflict, supporting their respective subclans.
In response to the escalating violence, prominent figures, including the former president of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, members of the HirShabelle Council of Ministers, and the Middle Shabelle Governor, have recently convened in Haji Ali village to help mediate peace between the two sides. Elders from one of the belligerent subclans were also present.
Additional negotiations with the second subclan took place subsequently in Rage Elle, successfully leading to a ceasefire. Official talks between the subclans are now set to commence.
Absence of the rule of law
Middle Shabelle has witnessed a series of clan-related incidents since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud initiated an offensive against al-Shabaab. The central government, up until now, has largely left these issues in the hands of local traditional elders, hoping for a peaceful resolution. In an apparent display of the absence of the rule of law in Middle Shabelle, the government refrained from arresting those involved in the violence.
Similar land disputes are not unknown to the Middle Shabelle region. Three weeks ago, the Somali Digest reported on tensions between the Hawadle and Abgal communities in Halfooley, a village situated on the administrative border between Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions. The conflict has been fueled by weeks of antagonistic rhetoric from the Abgal community, who claim that the Hawadle have unlawfully seized their land and established a village there.
