Garowe Online (Garowe)
13 December 2007
Mortars slammed into different parts of the Somali capital Mogadishu Thursday in a continuation of anti-government violence that has gripped the city since the beginning of the year.
At least nine people were killed when a shell hit a busy market place. Witnesses said another 10 civilians were wounded.
No one knows where the shells originated or who launched them. But Mogadishu has been transformed into a virtual war zone since January when Ethiopian troops backing the country's interim government arrived.
Sources at two Mogadishu hospitals - Medina Hospital and Keysaney Hospital - told Garowe Online that 40 and 10 wounded victims were admitted to the respective hospitals over the last 24 hours.
A heavy battle erupted between insurgents and troops midday today after soldiers forcefully raided suspected hideouts for insurgents, sparking a gunfight.
Unconfirmed reports said 4 soldiers were killed during today's battle.
Meanwhile, a Somali intelligence official and his sister-in-law were shot to death in the south-central town of Baidoa, 250km northwest of Mogadishu.
The intelligence official, Adan Jidey, and his sister-in-law were on their way home when suspected insurgents killed them. Baidoa police officials said the perpertrators evaded capture.
Insurgents fighting Somalia's interim government and its foreign backers have vowed to continue their guerrilla war until Ethiopian troops leave the country.
Ethiopian troops helped the government oust Islamic Courts rulers from Mogadishu late last year, but the Islamists' al-Shabaab armed wing have regrouped and are believed responsible for a relentless guerrilla campaign against government and Ethiopian targets since January.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2007 Garowe Online. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
