Häftiga strider i Somalia - svensk gripen

En svensk medborgare uppges ha gripits i staden Galka’ayo i den somaliska regionen Puntland. Gripandet sätts av Somaliland press i samband med häftiga eldstrider i staden Bosasso, också i Puntland. Striderna misstänks ha samband med terroriströrelsen Shabaab.

Bosaaso, 28 March 2009 (Somalilandpress) — Heavy gun fire could be heard in the town of Bosaaso in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in north-eastern Somalia, on Friday night as unknown militant groups battle Puntland Intelligence Service (PIS).

Unconfirmed reports said that armed men threw hand grenades inside the PIS premises located in the Lanta Hawada district of Bosaaso before opening fire from small arms.

It is not clear the number of casualties or damages at this stage, as it is too early for our reporters to visit the area.

Some reports suggest that the attack is in connection to a recent arrest of a well known cleric after he returned from a visit to the port of Kismayo, an Al Shabab strong hold.

It was just few hours ago that another group attacked the town of Garowe with hand grenade killing one person and wounding five others (see Somalia: Huge Explosion in Garowe).

Puntland forces also put Sheikh Abdulrahman Jama Tuke behind bars in the town of Galka’ayo however he was eventually released after militia men loyal to him surrounded the base where he was held. Reports from Galka’ayo also reported the police took a young man of Somali origin from Sweden into custody, it is not clear if he has been released.