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Puntland Islamist Fighters Join the Union of Islamic Courts in Central Somalia

Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
NEWS
November 15, 2006
Posted to the web November 15, 2006

By Aweys Osman Yusuf
Mogadishu
Large number of Islamist fighters from the fresh Islamic Court set up in north
Galkayo central Somalia, under the administration semi-autonomous regional
government of Puntland, has reached Bandiradley some 90 km away from Galkayo to
bolster the Union of Islamic Courts fighters stationed at Bandiradley and the
villages close to Galkayo as the Puntland president Adde Musa Hirse has paid a
visit to war zones where the Islamist fighters and Puntland backed militias
loyal to warlord Abdi Qeybdid are facing off.
Ali Bashir, Islamic Courts fighters commander for central provinces, has told
Shabelle Radio in Mogadishu that around 100 Islamists fighters from Puntland
have joined them, adding that the new forces equipped with automatic weapons
have been positioned at the frontline of Islamist trenches near Galkayo.
This is however the first time that forces from Puntland have arrived at
Islamist stronghold to strengthen Islamists.
Puntland administration has vowed earlier it would either crash the fresh
Islamic Court founders in Galkayo or deport them out of Puntland.
.


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