Heavy fighting kills 12 in Mogadishu-residents
MOGADISHU, Feb 18 (Reuters) - At least 12 people were killed and more than 40 others wounded when rival militias using mortars, anti-aircraft guns and artillery clashed in Somalia's capital on Saturday, residents said.
They said civilians including women and children were among the casualties when heavy fighting over territory broke out between gunmen loyal to Mogadishu's Islamic courts and a local warlord in the south of the capital.
Each side blamed the other for the hostilities, which highlight general lawlessness in the Horn of Africa country that has been without a functioning central government for the last 15 years and is run by various clan-based militias.
Residents said the fighting started early on Saturday and continued through the day. Many residents fled the area. As night fell, sporadic shooting could still be heard.
"They came here to ignite a new crisis, and we are ready to defend our areas," warlord Abdi Nurre Siyad told Reuters.
Sheik Shariff Ahmed, who heads the influential Islamic court administration, confirmed the fighting and accused the warlord of being behind it.
Among the dead, at least four were civilians, residents said. Hospital officials in the capital said 41 wounded were brought in, including seven children and 12 women.
One stray mortar hit a house and seriously wounded two children, witnesses said. Another mortar killed a woman.
Fighting among Somalia's myriad of clans and sub-clans has been common since warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and took over the nation of about 10 million.
An interim government was formed in 2004, but has proved fragile and fractious. It has been unable to rein in the powerful warlords and their militias.
Hopes of an end to violence received a boost last month when its two main factions agreed to try and overcome differences that have undermined the government's ability to impose its authority on the nation.
The country's parliament is due to meet in the country on Feb. 26 for the first time since it was formed in Kenya more than a year ago.
They said civilians including women and children were among the casualties when heavy fighting over territory broke out between gunmen loyal to Mogadishu's Islamic courts and a local warlord in the south of the capital.
Each side blamed the other for the hostilities, which highlight general lawlessness in the Horn of Africa country that has been without a functioning central government for the last 15 years and is run by various clan-based militias.
Residents said the fighting started early on Saturday and continued through the day. Many residents fled the area. As night fell, sporadic shooting could still be heard.
"They came here to ignite a new crisis, and we are ready to defend our areas," warlord Abdi Nurre Siyad told Reuters.
Sheik Shariff Ahmed, who heads the influential Islamic court administration, confirmed the fighting and accused the warlord of being behind it.
Among the dead, at least four were civilians, residents said. Hospital officials in the capital said 41 wounded were brought in, including seven children and 12 women.
One stray mortar hit a house and seriously wounded two children, witnesses said. Another mortar killed a woman.
Fighting among Somalia's myriad of clans and sub-clans has been common since warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and took over the nation of about 10 million.
An interim government was formed in 2004, but has proved fragile and fractious. It has been unable to rein in the powerful warlords and their militias.
Hopes of an end to violence received a boost last month when its two main factions agreed to try and overcome differences that have undermined the government's ability to impose its authority on the nation.
The country's parliament is due to meet in the country on Feb. 26 for the first time since it was formed in Kenya more than a year ago.
posted by Marko at 2/18/2006 12:44:00 PM
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