Saturday December 21, 2024
Jigjiga (HOL) – Several members of the Somali Regional State forces in Ethiopia were killed and others wounded following clashes with gunmen in the Dacawaley area of the Faafan region on Friday.
The fighting began after gunmen reportedly attacked local officials and police officers who had arrived in the area on Thursday afternoon to mediate conflicts. According to government reports, one soldier was wounded in the initial attack.
The gunmen launched a second attack on Friday, targeting the village again. The officials’ guards and other police officers were killed in the second attack.
Somali Regional State Government urged residents to cooperate with the Somali Regional State Forces tasked with maintaining regional security.
The violence comes after the recent killing of the Yocole district security chief and two of his bodyguards in a rural area between Dacawaley and Duudbaydale. The government dispatched officials to resolve the underlying conflict.
However, according to a statement from the Somali Regional State Security Office, armed gunmen attacked the delegation sent to address the previous violence on Thursday, leading to the current escalation.