By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU, Jan 29 (Reuters) - A moderate Somali Sunni group assaulted a town held by the hardline al Shabaab movement on Thursday in renewed fighting between Islamist factions while the world pushes a peace process outside. Fighters from government-allied Ahla Sunna Waljamaca attacked the central town of Dusamareb to try and wrest control from al Shabaab. Locals reported gunfire and mortar exchanges. "Fierce fighting is going on," Habiba Maalim told Reuters from a nearby wood where many residents have fled. The latest flare-up in weeks of clashes between the groups came as Somalia's parliament prepared to elect a new national president in Djibouti on Friday after voting to expand its numbers to include 200 moderate Islamist opponents. The United Nations and other international players hope those steps, being taken in neighbouring Djibouti due to insecurity at home, will pave the way for a unity government and peace for the first time in 18 years for Somalia. But Al Shabaab insurgents have vowed to fight on, and this week overran Baidoa, the seat of parliament, after Ethiopian troops who had been supporting the government ended a more than two-year intervention in Somalia. That leaves the government's physical control restricted to just some areas of Mogadishu, where they are being helped by a 3,500-strong African Union peacekeeping force. The assault on al Shabaab in Dusamareb appeared to be a pre-emptive strike by Ahla Sunna. Al Shabaab had been planning to attack Gurael, a town held by the moderate group nearby, Somalis in the area said. "We and the residents attacked Dusamareb because Al Shabaab has become a pain in the neck," Ahla Sunna spokesman Sheikh Abdullahi Sheikh Abu Yusuf said, accusing them of a campaign of terror including closing schools and desecrating graves. "Al Shabaab has taken more than 20 people out of their homes. We cannot tolerate their slaughters. We want to reopen our Koranic schools and save our people and graves from the omnivorous Al Shabaab." Al Shabaab controls large swathes of south-central Somalia, and has generally been able to bring security to those areas. But Somalis, who are generally moderate Muslims, have chafed at some of its hardline practices like public executions and punishments in line with sharia law. (Writing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, (2nd L) leader of the opposition Alliance for Re-Liberation of Somalia, is sworn into parliament in Djibouti January 28, 2009. Somalia's parliament swore in new opposition members on ...
