Fierce clashes erupted overnight in the town of Halgan in Hiraan province, according to local contacts that spoke with Halgan Media on anonymity.
Al Shabaab fighters staged a brazen assault overnight targeting an Ethiopian Army base, which sparked an intense firefight. The Ethiopian forces responded by returning fire on the Militants and subsequently shelling the area surrounding the town of Halgan with mortar rounds. Casulties remain unknown for the time being.
Local contacts reveal following the intense exchange of gunfire, Ethiopian troops remained bunkered in there base with contingents deployed throughout the town. Movement in the town of Halgan was at a standstill as locals stayed in doors, while Ethiopian troops where patrolling the streets.
Tens of thousands of Ethiopian troops, ranging around 30,000 are occupying large swaths of territory in southern Somalia. These troops are notorious for committing numerous acts of war crimes, extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses. The militant group Al Shabaab has been waging a decade long insurgency against the Foreign troops in Somalia, with the bulk of there insurgency taking place in southern and central Somalia.
We will keep you updated with the latest developments from the region.
Halgan Media
