The Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM defended farmers who refused to pay taxes to Al-Shabaab in multiple villages around Mahas, Hiraan region, central Somalia on March 16.
A Somalia military source indicate that Al-Shabaab militants entered multiple villages demanding livestock and payments from farmers. The residents were unable to pay due to drought and livestock deaths.
Al-Shabaab through their pro-websites claimed to have killed 19 SNA soldiers and injured 26 AMISOM reinforcements in a raid in Mahas on March 17.
However, Somali security officials refuted those claims saying they were propaganda fronted by the militants.
SNA backed by AMISOM troops claimed that the joint security forces killed 32 Al-Shabaab militants in the engagement.
Residents have resisted the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab taxation in central Somalia since 2013.
