MOGADISHU (AFP) — Somali Islamists have seized control of a central town after clashes with government forces that left 11 people dead, residents and Islamists said Monday.
The Islamists wrested control of Buulo Burte town, 206 kilometres (128 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu, they said.
"The Islamist forces were jumping while chanting "Allahu Akbar" after they took full control of the town. We do not know where government soldiers fled to," said Abdikadir Ahmed, a resident.
Local elders said at least 11 people were killed in the fighting in the town in Somalia's Hiraan region.
"There are eight dead bodies lying in the streets now -- seven of them are Somali soldiers and one is a civilian. Three other civilians were killed outside town," said Ismail Mohamed Nur, an elder.
"There was fierce fighting between the soldiers and the Islamists. It erupted in the morning and appears to have subsided," said Ali Haji Ares, another resident.
He said Hiraan governor Yusuf Mohamed, who was commanding the government forces, fled the area.
"By the will of Allah, our fighters took control of Buulo Barte town and the enemies of Allah fled the town and we are still chasing them," Abdirahim Sheikh Adde, a spokesman for the Islamists, told AFP.
On Wednesday last week, Islamists fighters briefly took control of Jowhar township, 90 kilometres (55 miles) north of Mogadishu, looted government vehicles and offices and released prisoners lodged in jail.
Over the past year, the Mogadishu and its outlying outposts have been hit by almost daily violence pitting Ethiopian-backed Somali forces against Islamist insurgents.
The guerrilla fighting has killed hundreds of civilians and forced tens of thousands to flee.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees recently said relentless violence in Somalia had forced at least 15,000 people to flee to neighbouring states since the start of the year.
Some 8,000 have entered Kenya, 4,000 went to Ethiopia, 2,000 fled to Djibouti and 1,300 made their way into Sudan, it said in a statement.
Somalia has
lacked an effective government since the 1991 ouster of dictator
Mohamed Siad Barre paved the way for factional clashes that have defied
numerous bids to restore stability.
SOURCE: AFP, March 31, 2008