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Hundreds of Ethiopian troops have crossed a border town in neighboring Somalia in order to fight al-Shabaab fighters, witnesses say.
Capt. Hashi Nour of the Somali military confirmed that Somali and Ethiopian troops had moved in the town of Beletweyne on Saturday.
Following the move, hundreds of Somali residents fled the border town, some 30 km (18 miles) into Somalia, local people said.
At least two are dead and four injured following fighting between security forces of the semi-autonomous state of Puntland and militias loyal to Sheikh Mohamed said (also known as Atom) in Laag village, 30km away from Bosaso in the north of the Bari region. The fighting erupted, according to the residents and officials, after the militias attacked bases belonging to the security forces.
A farmer in Laag village who requested to be identified only as Mukhtar told Somalia Report, “The fighting broke out around 3am, after militants attacked Puntland bases in Laag village.”