Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
18 February 2008
Mogadishu — A heavy fighting, which is believed to be one of the deadliest in Somalia's capital, stunned the forces of the fledging government forcing them to run away from key junctions in Mogadishu after they were overpowered by insurgents opposing the government.
The fighting raged through Howl wadag and Adan Ade intersections around Bakaraha Market where insurgents staged deadly attack on government forces who were there, according to eyewitnesses and residents in the area.
Local journalists, who went to these junctions after the heavy shelling subsided, have seen angry mobs ransacking what government troops left there including a B-10 heavy gun mounted on a pick up truck.
The Journalists have also seen what the Somalis call Technical, which is a battle wagon truck, burning in the middle of a nearby street around Howl wadag.
Locals told the journalists that the burning car was the government's.
"I have seen with my own eyes government forces riding in a large number on speed trucks driving towards Villa Somalia, and some of them were bleeding" said a terrifying resident in Ged jacel neighborhood which is close to Adan ade intersection.
Villa Somalia is the residence of Somalia's president Abdullahi Yusuf and the villa its self came under mortar bomb attacks last week after Islamic insurgents fired mortars at it hours after the president returned to the capital long after overseas trip including a medical trip to UK.
Residents and journalists in Mogadishu pointed this fighting as one of the heaviest because of the guns exchanged by both sides.
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