At least four people were killed and dozens wounded on Monday as rival factions renewed fierce fighting in the southern part of the Somali capital, bringing the death toll since clashes began at the weekend to 18, witnesses and medical said.
They said the clashes, which erupted on Saturday between freelance gunmen who attempted to set up a checkpoint and Islamic court security personnel, resumed in 21 October Road, a district named after the day when dictator Mohamed Siad Barre came to power in 1969.
”So far we know that the fighting had claimed four lives and wounded a large number of people,” said Ibrahim Jumale Hassan, who fled with his four children.
At least 14 people were killed in the same fighting over the weekend, according to medical sources.
”Today’s fighting is related to the one of Saturday and it is involving the Islamic courts and freelance militiamen that are fighting for the control of a checkpoint,” added Mohamed Ahmed Osman, who fled the resitive Mogadishu district.
Hundreds of people were fleeing the area, which is controlled by several warlords.
Fighters exchanged fire, using rocket propelled grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, small caliber guns and mortar shells, witnesses said.
”We are hearing gunfire and people are fleeing. There is terrible fighting and the casualty figure would be high,” added resident Aden Omarani.
Somalia has been wracked by chronic unrest with warlords and rival militias fighting for control of unruly fiefdoms that sprung up after dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was toppled in 1991.
Since then, the country has had no functioning central government and numerous efforts to create a viable new administration have failed. – AFP
