Somalia minister says regional government soldiers kill 15 militiamen in northeastern region
By APSunday, August 8, 2010
Somalia: soldiers kill 15 militia members
MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Somali minister says security forces have attacked the base of a militia group linked to an extremist group and killed 15 militiamen.
Security Minister Yusuf Ahmed Kheir says soldiers in the semiautonomous northeastern region of Puntland on Sunday countered the militia’s attack on an army post.
Militia spokesman Abdullahi Sheik denies they attacked first, saying the soldiers surprised them. Sheik says no militiamen were killed and only seven were injured.
Sunday’s clash is the second in two weeks between Puntland forces and the militia group, which is led by arms dealer Mohamed Atom. He has been singled out by the U.N. for supplying arms to the al-Shabab extremist group. The U.S. has declared al-Shabab a terrorist organization.
