on the Beledweyne Bridge. In response, the ICU stopped the flow of traffic and conducted search operations. In total, 68 people were killed in the fighting on May 15 and 16. The government claimed they had killed 47 al-Shabaab fighters, including a white man in Mahas and Wabho. On May 17, there were major battles in Jowhar and in Garsale village. Al-Shabaab took control of the key town of Jowhar, which is the capital of Shabeellaha Dhexe. It has an important strategic location as the road that links Mogadishu to the central region passes through it. The fighting in the city left three ICU militants dead, in a 20-minute battle, whereafter ICU and other pro-government militia fled the city and hundreds of al-Shabaab fighters entered it. This was seen as a major victory for al-Shabaab. Fighting in Mahas (in Hiraan) killed at least 17 people, while fighting in El Bur (in Galgudug) killed 16 people, the wounded were transported to hospitals in Grui El and Beledweyn. Meanwhile, al-Shabaab started sending forces from Mogadishu (where there was a major battle from May 7 to 14) and Bal'ad (a district between Mogadishu and Jowhar) into Hiraan and Shabelle Dheexe as reinforcements. May 18, at least seven people, three al-Shabaab fighters and four civilians were killed in the village of Ayne after pro-government militants ambushed an al-Shabaab convoy which was transporting fighters from Bulo Burte to Mahas. Due to the ambush, the convoy was forced to head back to their base in Bulo Burte. A battle broke out for the village of Ceyn, three people were killed in the fighting. Meanwhile, Hizbul Islam captured another key, strategic town, named Mahaday, which lies some 23 km north of previously captured Jowhar, the capital of Shabelleh Dheexe. The seizure of Mahaday is a big blow to the government as three out of four districts in Shabelle Dheexe (Middle Shabelle) had now fallen in the hands of al-Shabaab which already controls Shabeellaha Hoose (lower Shabelle), previously the government controlled all of Shabelle Dheexe. May 19, al-Shabaab rebels attacked an ICU base near Jowhar, were forces who were rooted out of Jowhar, were now stationed. Both sides used heavy weapons but no casualties were reported. Meanwhile, al-Shabaab raided UN offices in Jowhar, taking the equipment which was left behind when the UN evacuated the compounds before the al-Shabaab takeover. In the North of Hiraan, Ethiopian forces entered