Deadly clashes erupt in Mogadishu

by amyjudd | April 19, 2008 at 05:02 pm | 285 views | 6 comments

Fighting has resumed in the Somali capital Mogadishu, and at least 20 people have been killed.

Ethiopian troops backing the interim government clashed with Islamic fighters in the north-east of the city.

Five Ethiopian soldiers, three government soldiers and civilians are reported to be among those killed.

Somalia has been wracked by violence since Ethiopia rescued the government in 2006, ousting an Islamist militia that had held much of the country.

The latest fighting began early on Saturday, when the Ethiopian troops moved against insurgents, but encountered heavy resistance.

Witnesses quoted by the Associated Press news agency say Islamists dragged the bodies of several soldiers through the streets.

The Ethiopians responded with gunfire and heavy artillery.

One mortar shell reportedly fell on a busy restaurant, where five people are said to have died.

Flag this story

Upload

Make your good story a great story. Click here to add your photos & video to this story.

Crowd Power

Scan the web to add photos and videos to this story or add them from the NowPublic Archive.

Barry Artiste

at 17:47 on April 19th, 2008

good stuff:

amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff. Looks like business as usual in Mogadishu, something tell me it will never be resolved.

amyjudd

at 18:01 on April 19th, 2008

I agree - it just seems to be a vicious cycle.

Barry Artiste

at 18:19 on April 19th, 2008

You know Amy, "To the Victor go the Spoils" cannot even be applied here, anyone who has done a tour of peacekeeping there can tell you that!, unless since my time there "Sand" has become a valuable commodity and is hitting like $1.00 a pound. Pretty desolate place with even more desolate people.