Author: Abdi Sheikh and Aaron Ross

In a tragic incident in central Somalia, at least five people were killed during an ambush on a convoy by militiamen who seized heavy weapons. This occurred just seven months after the lifting of a decades-long arms embargo in the region. The convoy, with a security escort, was attacked near Abudwaq by militiamen from a local clan who overpowered the security forces. The weapons, which included machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons, originated from Ethiopia. According to Ahmed Shire, a security adviser, the incident resulted in casualties on both sides as the weapons fell into civilian hands. Analyst Rashid Abdi noted…