Mogadishu — At least ten people have been killed and more than twenty others have been injured when a heavy fighting between Ethiopian troops and Islamist insurgent forces erupted in Yaqshid district north of Mogadishu, witnesses and officials said on Wednesday.

"Seven people from one family died when a mortar shell landed in their house and dozens were injured," resident Shire Farah told Radio Shabelle. I cannot describe to you what I have seen Scattered human flesh, he added.

Al-shabab spokesman, Sheik Muktar Robow Ali (Abu Mansur) claimed they have killed dozens from the Ethiopian troops and also confirmed that one of their commanders died.

"We inform the Mujahidins (Islamic fighters) in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir and every where in the world that commander Abdulahi Salad Farah (Abu Khalid) and other mujahidins were martyred,"Abu Mansur told reporters via phone press conference in Mogadishu.

Abu Mansur called for the Somali people to join the fighting against Ethiopian troops.

"We urge the brothers to repent from their bad decision and boycott the so-called agreement with the Ethiopians," Abu Mansur said referring to the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia.

The Ethiopian troops entered in Somalia in 2006 to help the weak transitional government of Somalia.

The prolonged Ethiopian occupation displaced millions of civilians and killed thousands.