Fighting rages in Somali capital

BBC: Clashes between rival Somali militias have continued for a second day in the capital, Mogadishu, leaving at least 25 people dead and 61 others wounded.

The fighting started when an alliance of warlords attacked the vehicle of a group allied to the Islamic courts, according to eyewitnesses.

A child and a pregnant woman were killed in the crossfire, and residents forced to flee as fighting intensified.

Clashes between the rival groups in March left up to 90 people dead.

Those were the worst clashes in Mogadishu in more than a decade.

At least 10 people were killed on Monday after clashes late on Sunday left at least 15 dead.

Hundreds of families have fled their homes.

"I can only remember that five heavily armed gunmen were firing on a vehicle passing in Sii-Sii (CC) village of north Mogadishu, then I found myself in this hospital," said Haliima Abdulle, a mother of six who was wounded.

A family of four were killed when their house was struck by mortar, AP news agency said.

Renewed tensions

Tension between the two groups has intensified again recently.

Militiamen in Mogadishu
Gunmen have controlled Mogadishu for 15 years
Both want control of the capital, Mogadishu.

The Islamic courts have restored order to some parts of the city by providing justice under Sharia law.

The alliance of warlords recently created the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism.

It accuses the Islamic courts of sheltering foreign al-Qaeda leaders, while the courts say the alliance is a pawn of the United States.

Last week, Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf accused the US of funding the coalition of warlords.

The US government says it does support efforts to restore stability to Somalia but refuses to give details on who it backs and how, the BBC's Adam Mynott says.

Somalia has not had an effective national authority for 15 years after the ousting of President Siad Barre in 1991.