The pro government Islamic Courts Union which was routed in recent fighting that saw the seizure of Jowhar in middle Shabelle region threatened Wednesday they will defeat al-Shabaab and recapture the town.
The former governor of Middle Shabelle region of the Islamic Courts Union, Dahir Adow Alasow, said they were planning a heavy attack on al-Shabaab to recapture Jowhar, the home town of Somali president Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed.
Al-Shabaab captured Jowhar recently from the Islamic Courts Union in fighting that lasted more than two hours and killed five combatants from the two sides.
Al-Shabaab was the military wing of the Islamic Courts Union in 2006 before they were ousted by the Ethiopian troops who claimed they were propping up the Somali Transitional Federal government.
They jointly fought the Ethiopian troops and the Somali government, but the Islamic Courts Union joined the government when its leader Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed was elected president in January 2009.
Alasaw, said they were determined to defeat what he called invading forces to the region and will recapture the town again.
The two sides fought on Tuesday near Mahaday town in Middle Shabelle region after al-Shabaab attacked a base of the Islamic Courts Union.
Alasow said they defended the Shabaab and killed nine fighters, but the new governor of al-Shabaab in Middle Shabelle region said they captured a battle wagon from the pro government Islamists and killed more fighters.
Source: amsomalia@mareeg.com
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