KISMAYO, SOMALIA—Heavy fighting erupts between al Shabaab and Hizbul Islam Islamist rebels on Thursday outside Kismayo after they agreed truce on Wednesday to end days of clashes between them in southern Somalia.
Residents said the fighting started after al Shabaab militants attacked a base of Hizbul Islam group in the area.
The two sides have reportedly used heavy machineguns in the fighting and locals described the fighting as the heaviest one since al Shabaab drove Hizbul Islam out of Kismayo.
Unconfirmed reports from Kismayo say al Shabaab fighters withdrew from Kismayo, took their wounded fighters from the hospital of the town and left towards Jamame town in the region.
Thursday’s fighting comes as the leaders of the two groups agreed on Wednesday to nominate a committee to solve the differences between them.
No causalities have been reported yet. Hizbul Islam captured al Shabaab commander in the fighting and that has reportedly made the fighting worse.
The two groups have been fighting in Kismayo for the last eight days which killed more fighters and civilians in Kismayo.
Source: Mareeg Online
