“We had nowhere to take the injured who were loaded on wheelbarrows” M/s Fatimah Hussein
By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARSHIN (Somalilandsun) – The Hargeisa group hospital is flooded with injured people from the Ethiopian town of Harshin.
According to hospital sources, some of the patients brought in the morning are suffering serious bullet wound injuries.
The injuries occurred after the Liyuu police run amok in Harshin town killing 17 residents and injuring 28 others through unprovoked brutal use of heavy weapons.
The paramilitary force, which is under the control of Ethiopia’s Zone five Somali region president, started its massacred of Harshin Civilians by killing four people and arresting a yet established number, whose whereabouts is still mysterious.
Following the wanton killings and arrests residents armed themselves and managed to evict the Liyuu police killer unit from their town.
Early Tuesday a column of ten armored vehicles entered the town and the heavily armed paramilitary soldiers started spraying machine gun bullets injuring 28 and killing another 13 civilians most of them women and young children.
According to elder Ali Mohamed Aden, it is suspect that the figure of dead and injured is much higher because the town is empty after residents escaped to seek safety in various directions.
“We do not know what raised the wrath of the hated Liyuu police against the peace loving residents of Harshin” Said elder Ali.
Information received by Waheen and Somaliland.org from an eyewitness M/s Fadumo Hussein; indicate that the massacre ensued after five residents armed themselves to defend the town against the Liyuu police that had just killed a local religious teacher.
“Once the Ustadh (Teacher) was killed a heavy battle ensued between five residents and the killer unit which escaped after another four killings,” said M/s Fadumo.
The homemaker, who managed to escape with some of her children after the Liyuu police returned with fury, said she counted 28 injured before she run away from the town less her husband and two children whose whereabouts are unknown.
Said she, “I counted 28 injured people loaded on wheelbarrows and 17 dead before I left the town”
M/s Fadumo Hussein added that before she escaped the injured laying in wheelbarrows could not be assisted since paramilitary officers with fingers on their guns triggers were stationed outside every house in the town”
“Even making a telephone call became impossible”
Despite the large number of killer police guarding the houses, unyielding determination by some residents resulted in the collection of the injured and subsequent cross-border transport to Hargeisa group hospital where they are receiving treatment.
By the time of going to press the situation is stable following the arrival of a large number of troops dispatched by the Ethiopian Federal government in Addis Ababa.
Though it is yet to be made clear on the reasons behind the massacre perpetrated on Ethiopians of Somaliland origin by the tribal Liyuu police, it remains to be seen what the international community would react.
For perusal of past transgressions and similar acts by the Liyuu, police visit http://somalilandsun.com/index.php/in-depth/1339-somaliland-incessant-overt-incursions-by-ethiopias-liyuu-police-goes-on-unimpeded
