GAROWE (Somaliguardian) –The commander of Puntland’s presidential guard unit Osman Omar Mohamed was killed in fierce clashes with clan militia in the Somalia town of Galkayo in Mudug region, local officials have confirmed on Sunday.
Reports from the town say clashes began after regional troops attacked a compound housing heavily armed clan militia. Several people were killed in a heavy gun battle that ensued with more than 10 others wounded. Puntland soldiers and militiamen were among the dead, according to residents.
Puntland’s commander of the presidential guard unit Osman Omar Mohamed who was leading the attack on the militiamen was killed in the fighting, local officials have confirmed.
The president of the semi-autonomous region Saeed Deni and renowned politicians sent condolences to the family, friends and troops for the death of the commander whose killing raised an alarm that powerful clan militias in the region pose a significant security threat to the regional administration, which has already been fed up with growing attacks carried out by Al-Shabaab islamists.
The fighting in Galkayo has come amid the visit of Puntland president Saeed Deni to the north of the town.
Over the recent few days, the regional government has been paying more efforts to curtail growing threat of clan militias in Galkayo and other parts of the Mudug region, with president Saeed Deni announcing that his government will not tolerate militiamen carrying weapons inside major cities.
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