Islamist group takes control of central Somalia town

Mogadishu: Islamist rebel group Al Shabaab took control of a central Somali trading town after fighting that killed at least 13 people, residents said on Saturday.

Residents said the group took Gurael town after three days of fighting with a government allied Sunni group.

The battle began after Al Shabaab fighters arrested a teacher of that group, they said.

Witnesses spoke of chaos in the area, with bullets being fired on vehicles full of fleeing residents. Three women were killed in one lorry, they said.

More than 5,000 Gurael residents had fled the violence, human rights groups said.