At least six persons were killed Friday in a village in Puntland State in northern Somalia as fighting erupted between Puntland government forces and a militia from neighboring Galmudug area, with Puntland officials accusing Somali Federal Government of arming the militia “to destabilize Puntland”, Garowe Online reports.

Puntland Deputy Security Minister Abdiaziz Said (Badugaye) told a press conference in the capital Garowe that the fighting erupted at 12:00pm and continued for one hour.

In a written statement, Puntland’s government condemned “the planned and coordinated attack of aggression on Puntland defense line in Mudug Administrative Region” where Puntland administers three districts in north Mudug (Galkayo, Galdogob and Jariban). Rival groups control the other two districts in south Mudug (Hobyo and Harardhere), including Galmudug militia, Al Shabaab militants and piracy gangs.

According to Puntland officials, “militiamen in over 20 vehicles carried out a coordinated attack on Godod village, 30km east of Galkayo on the road to Jariban town inside Puntland jurisdiction”. Minister Badugaye told reporters that Puntland forces “repelled the attackers, inflicted casualties and seize one armed-truck from the fleeing militia”.

He said that one Puntland soldier “suffered light wounds” during the one-hour battle and could not confirm casualties on the other side, saying only “there were deaths and injuries”, and warning that “renewed fighting might erupt” in that area.

Local sources reported to Garowe Online news agency that six fighters were killed during the battle and dozens wounded.

Minister Badugaye noted that Puntland government forces “are based near Godod village and responded quickly to the attack”, vowing that Puntland government “would defend the peace, security, stability and progress of the people and State of Puntland from all enemies, domestic or external”.

Federal Government blamed for ‘arming militia’

The Puntland statement strongly condemned the role of Somali Federal Government in allegedly arming the Galmudug militia.

Abdikarim Hussein Guled, Somali Minister of Interior