A heavy fighting between a local militia and Ethiopian paramilitary militia known as the Liyu Police broke out in Galgadud region of central Somalia, residents said on Saturday.
Reports said hundreds of the Liyu Police guerrillas raided Da’dheer village near the Somali-Ethiopian border, where scores of unarmed civilians were reportedly killed by the invading army.
Residents armed themselves to prevent Liyu Police frequent cross-border attacks that left hundreds of civilians dead last year alone. Many of the victims were burnt alive by Liyu Police militiamen.
The Ethiopian government is accused of using the Liyu Police which means “special” in Amharic language militia as repressive guerrillas against oppositional Somali ethnics, according to residents.
