Jowhar, (insidesomalia.org) - Officers from the Islamic Courts Union halted the activities of the local vigilantes of Jowhar town the headquarters of middle shabelle region in southern Somalia. 

The local administration which used to collect tariff from each vehicles which enters the town and the business points were ordered not to do any sort of duty in the town for a certain time of period. 

Sheikh Abukar Ali a prominent figure in the Islamic Courts Union told the press that till further notice they have stopped the local administration from collecting tax from any section. 

Likewise this officer said that the local town vigilantes were evacuated from the outskirts of the town, and brought to the district police station.

Forces from the Islamic Courts Union were deployed at the checkpoints were these local town vigilantes were evacuated from.  

The officers from Islamic Courts Union said that the main reason as to why they have evacuated these local vigilantes from the fringes of the town is because they have no full capacity to defend outside attacks and ensure the security of the town.

Some unconfirmed reports say that the Islamic Courts Union want to take absolute control of the middle shabelle region after there has been frequent scuffle between the town local administrations.

In the past couple of days battlewagons of the Islamic Courts Union have been pouring into Jowhar town.