Heavy combat in Mogadishu

Fighting between Somali government soldiers and Islamists has on Saturday morning erupted in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

"It was around 11:00am local time when I first heard the simultaneous sounds of the different kinds of weapons such as mortars, heavy machineguns and as well as the once which are fired from the shoulders like rocket propelled grenades etc., and in fact I was exactly the battle between the government soldiers and the Islamists, which is taking place in Abdi Aziza one of the oldest districts in Mogadishu, and I live in the immediate district which is next to Abdi Aziz. I am also a father who has recently fled from Karan district in northern Mogadishu after series of clashes between the government soldiers and the Islamists have taken place in Karan district. I think the fighting may escalate further and I and my family may become victims of the fighting. I have nowhere else to go after this very district where I am now is also engulfed in fights," said Haji Barre Gedi, a father of an extended family of 10 speaking to Somaliweyn radio on Saturday morning when the fighting was still in action.

So far 6 people were reported to have been wounded in the battle and yet there are no death reports.

As from May 7th 2009 there had been continuous fighting in Mogadishu between the government soldiers and the Islamists which have caused the uprooting of thousands of people from their respective houses due to the clashes.

In the past couple of days the inhabitants of Mogadishu had experienced a little bit of tranquillity, despite sporadic gunshots heard here and there. This lull seems to have ended after President Sheikh Sharif met US-American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who only had to offer 40 more tonnes of weapons and ammunition to Somalia.

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