10 killed in tribal confrontations in Somalia

More than 10 persons were killed and other 20 injured while hundreds were displaced in fighting that erupted on Monday between two warring groups in Bedawa city in the center of Somalia over the transfer of the interim Somali government establishments to the city.

The clashes are taking place between warlords who belong to the resistance army, which controls Bay Ai Bakol area, which considers Bedawa city as its largest city, though they oppose the decision of the interim government in Kenya taking this city as a headquarters.

A medical source in Bedawa hospital said at least 15 persons were killed and other 20 injured in these confrontations in which mortars and heavy artillery were used.

A leading source in one of the two warring groups said that its members killed 8 gunmen that attacked his group and that three of its members were killed in these confrontations which took place in Bedawa.

The Somali interim parliament in Kenya agreed to a decision by the government that aims at transferring the new establishments to Jawhar city ( 90 km to the north of Mogadishu ) and Bedawa ( 250 Km to the south of Mogadishu ) instead of Mogadishu, for security reasons.