More than a dozen civilians killed following latest clashes between Afar, Somali regions militias near border areas

At least 18 civilians were killed, several others were injured in fresh clashes in areas bordering the Somali and Afar regional states on 09 November, according to a source from the Somali region who spoke with Addis Standard.

Some 28 civilians who were injured in the clashes were taken to a nearby Biki hospital in the Somali region. A medical staff at the hospital who wanted to remain anonymous confirmed to Addis Standard that the injured were admitted to the hospital.

The latest clashes took place in Dheymeed woreda, one of the two new woredas setup by the Somali regional state government to host people displaced during previous clashes. Dhuunar is the other new woreda. Found in western Sitti zone, in the border with Afar regional state, both were previously Kebeles but were promoted to Woreda levels by the Somali regional state government in August this year.

Thousands of IDPs previously displaced from three disputed woredas were made to settle in the two new woredas “as a compensation after the government failed to keep its promise to return them to the three woredas” they were displaced from, according to our source.

Sporadic clashes frequently occur especially over the past years between militias from the two regional states on disputed land. In August the Somali regional state government said thousands of civilians were displaced following renewed clashes in areas bordering the Afar region.

What triggered the latest clash is not clear and Addis Standard’s efforts to get comments from both Afar and Somali region officials on the latest clashes were unsuccessful. Both regions have also not issued official statements as of the publishing of this news

Source: Addis Standard