Beledweyne, Jan, 12, 2010, (SOMINA)- at least 8 people have been killed and more than 10 others have been wounded in Beledweyn town after heavy between the Islamist forces of Hizbul Islam and Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a clerics broke out in the town, witnesses said on Tuesday.

Residents said that most of the people are fleeing from their houses in the town as both rival sides exchanging heavy weapons in the east side of the town.

“My brother, now I and my children are in out of the forest of the town, I believe that there are no people remaining in the town except those who are fighting. Because we could not tolerate the gun battle which seemed as it was raining,” said one witness who was fleeing with children.

 Locals said that the fighting at Liq-Liqato Bridge which separates the neighbourhoods of Beledweyn town and spread further into the centre of the town adding that both sides using heaviest gunfire which could be heard all directions of the town.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that all residents started large displacement due to fears of the fighting as there are no good and concrete buildings to be sheltered from the people to be saved from the gunfire.

There is no group who talked about the fighting which is between the Islamist fighters of Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a and Hizbul Islam fighters and currently going on Beledweyn town in Hiran region.

 It is the third day that consecutive fighting based on the power struggle of the controlling Beledweyn town is continuing in the town in central Somalia.