Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
1 September 2008
Mogadishu — Fresh fighting rocked the lawless Somali capital on Monday morning as the government troops clashed with armed islamist fighters witnesses said.
Heavy machine guns and rocket fire resounded through streets of bullet-scarred Mogadishu after the two sides have started to fight head to head.
"Rival gunmen are currently fighting vigorously in Towfiq in Yaqshid district," said Resident Mohamed Abdi Gheddi, adding that hundreds of families were fleeing the district as civilians were bearing the brunt of the damage.
"I have seen yet no deaths but I heard that People were hit by stray bullets when the violence first started but now most people have taken shelter and others fled" he added.
The fighting has started when armed masked men have additionally opened fire on police checkpoint in the district sparking additional minutes lasted fighting.
Its yet unknown the causalities of the two warred sides.
The recent fighting starts as the holy month of Ramadan started today.
Somali islamists have vowed that they would intensify their attack in the holy month of Ramadan.
The military spokesman of the Islamic courts Sheikh Abdirahim Isse Addow told Shabelle that they would double their insurgency against the Ethiopian troops in the country.
Since they were ousted from Mogadishu and large parts of the country by Ethiopian backed Somali troops the islamists are still waging heavy insurgency against the Government and the presence of the Ethiopian troops in the country.
Ethiopian troops entered Somalia late 2006 to help the interim government drive a rival Islamist movement from power.
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