The northeastern tip of Somalia has been a peaceful haven in an often violent nation, but a powerful warlord and a series of recent clashes are threatening to open a new zone of lawlessness.
Militants loyal to warlord Mohamed Said Atom have repeatedly fought against government forces in recent weeks, and Atom told a local radio station that his men have retreated to their mountain hideout in Gal Gala to plan guerrilla attacks. Government forces recently drove through the desert toward Gal Gala in pickup trucks mounted with machine guns.
A U.N. report says officials have credible information that Atom has delivered arms sent by Eritrea to al-Shabab forces in southern Somalia. Al-Shabab is Somalia's dominant insurgent group and has ties with al-Qaida.
A March report by the U.N.'s Monitoring Group says Atom has been importing arms from Yemen and receiving consignments from Eritrea, including mortars, for delivery to southern Somalia.
FULL STORY: AP