Mogadishu, January 01: Al-Shabaab fighters say they have closed down the UN headquarters in the town of Bu’aale in southern Somalia and have informed Somali relief workers to leave the region.
Al-Shabaab fighters overpowered the guards outside the headquarters and disarmed them. They then looted $50,000 from the United Nations headquarters, closed down the office, and asked all the staff to leave, in Mogadishu reported late on Thursday.
Al-Shabaab told Somali relief workers to leave the region in 10 hours.
In another incident, Al-Shabaab fighters claim that after a three-hour firefight, they disarmed over 60 bandits in an area between Mogadishu and Jowhar and arrested them, a Press TV correspondent reported.
In addition, heavy fighting took place in the Hodon district between militants and Somali government troops backed by the African Union troops. At least seven Somali government troops were killed. Seven civilians were also killed and 11 others were injured.
——-Agencies