Dinsor is a town south east of Baidoa in the Bay region (Magellan Geographix 1993). The Bay region is home to Digil Mirifle and the Rahanwein (Supplement to Information Session on Country Conditions on Somalia 15 Feb. 1996, 2, 45). The Digil clan is composed of Dabarre, Jiddu, Tunni, Geledi and Garre subclans, while the Rahanweyn clan family consists of 33 clans divided in "two alliances" (ibid., 4). Before the civil war in 1991, the Digil and the Rahanweyn practised agriculture, an occupation for which they were despised by the nomads, but they did not play a significant role in Somali politics (ibid., 45).

The Bay region is currently under the control of forces loyal to Hussein Aidid (DPA 23 Jan. 1999), and has been a fighting field between the Rahanwein Resistance Army (RRA) and militias loyal to Hussein Aidid, since 1995 when the late General Mohamed Farah Aidid, Hussein Aidid's father, captured the town of Baidoa (AFP 23 Feb. 1999; ibid. 19 Jan. 1999).

Currently, the situation in the Bay region is reportedly complicated by fighting, starvation, cholera, and movements of people fleeing fighting (ibid., 23 Feb. 1999; ibid., 3 Feb. 1999; ibid., 10 Mar. 1999). In addition to fighting between the RRA and Hussein Aidid's forces, fighting also broke out between Moalin and Galadle sub-clans of the Rahanwein (ibid., 3 Feb. 1999). Additionally, recent floods and the current drought have turned the Bay and Bakool regions into barren land (ibid).

In February 1999, militia men loyal to Aidid reportedly killed 40 people in Baidoa (AFP 23 Feb. 1999), while at the end of January 1999, nine people, seven of whom were children reportedly died of starvation in Bardale, 55 kilometres from Baidoa (ibid., 3 Feb. 1999).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 10 March 1999. "Humanitarian Situation in Somalia very worrying: UNTC [Internet] http://www.notes.reliefweb.int [accessed 10 Mar. 1999]

_____. 23 February 1999. "Aidid's Forces Kill 40 civilians: Rivals Claim." (NEXIS)

_____. 3 February 1999. "Starvation Adding to Fighting Toll in Southern Somalia." (NEXIS)

_____. 19 January 1999. "Warlord Aidid Seeks to Ease War Fears in Somalia." (NEXIS)

Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 23 January 1999. "Reports of Inter Clan Fighting in Somalia." (NEXIS)

Magellan Geographix [Santa Barbra, Ca]. 1993. "Somalia."
Supplement to Information Session on Country Conditions on Somalia, Toronto. 15 February 1996.

Africa Confidential [London]. January-December 1998. Vol. 39. Nos. 1-25.

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social, and Cultural Series [Oxford]. January 1998-January 1999. Vol. 35. Nos. 1-12.

Horn of Africa Bulletin [Uppsala]. January-December 1998. Vol. 10. Nos. 1-6.

Keesing's Record of World Events. January-December 1998. Vol. 44. Nos. 1-12.