Bitter fighting between Somali pirates and clan militias have on Tuesday morning in El-Dire settlement near Hobyo district of Mudug region in central Somalia left several people injured.
Local people told APA that the fighting was as a result of a disagreement among the local leaders and pirates over the withdrawal of armed pirate militia whose presence in the area was of concern to the residents of the settlement.
Sources say three pirates and one of the locals were injured in the battle, as the residents also claimed that they have burned a pirate armored pick up vehicle in the fighting.
Omar Ali Kediye, a tribal leader said the pirates were causing tribulations including recruitment of unemployed young people as gunmen, by promising some little cash payment to those who join them.
He added that the residents of El-Dire settlement have been tolerating the pirate behavior, as they were looting livestock and sometimes gang-raping young girls.
“They defied our request to pull out their militias, and we could no longer endure their habitual problems, we are obligated to fight with them and now we have forced them out of the settlement,” said Kediye.
The pirates activities across the Indian Ocean had fallen down since the international maritime forces began patrolling the area, but the pirate militias have being sustained by their robbery activities at coastal towns.
Via: http://en.starafrica.com
