| Heavy fighting in Somali capital |
|
|
| Written by Administrator | |
| Saturday, 27 October 2007 | |
|
Some of the heaviest fighting in months has broken out between Ethiopian forces and local insurgents in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. Residents say at least seven Ethiopians were killed and 11 Somali civilians taken to hospital amid shell and machine-gun fire.
Somalia has seen a surge in violence since Ethiopian-backed government troops ousted Islamists last December. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the fighting. Elders' appeal BBC Africa editor Martin Plaut says the latest clashes began after Ethiopia moved reinforcements and a convoy of 20 tanks and armoured cars into the city late on Friday. One of the vehicles was hit by a landmine and exploded. Early on Saturday the Ethiopians fanned out of their barracks and fighting erupted. Insurgents are reported to have captured and ransacked a police station. They later retreated chanting "God is great", witnesses said. Local resident Ismail Osman told the Reuters news agency: "Ethiopian troops and insurgents are fighting in every alley." Local elders are describing the Ethiopian offensive as a genocide and have appealed to the international community to intervene. Some 1,600 Ugandan troops are also in Mogadishu as part of a planned 8,000-strong African Union force to support the interim government. Somalia has been without an effective government since the civil war began in 1991. The UN says some 400,000 people have fled the violence in Mogadishu in the past four months. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
>> Download MP3 Song - "Egermenalo" by Wedi Tikabo



Letter dated Nov. 30'07 from the Legal Adviser to the President of Eritrea to the president of the UNSC
From `legal nonsense´ to `legal fiction´.

With effect from midnight tonight (30.11.2007), the demarcation of Ethio-Eritrean boundary will be as complete as any demarcated interstate boundary would be, if not better defined.