MOGADISHU (Sh. M. Network) – at least 5 people have been killed and 15 others have been wounded after fresh fighting with heavy shelling  broke out in several neighborhoods in the Somali capital Mogadishu, officials told Shabelle radio on Wednesday.

Reports say that the fighting started at Mekka Al-mukarama street, a key road that connects the presidential palace and Km4, a base for the African Union troops AMSIOM as the AU troops tried to start military movement around there and blockaded the streets which caused to spread the war into further districts like Hodan, Hawl-wadag and Waberi all in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

Reports also indicate that more than 5 people died during the fighting including government officer and a teenager who was at around Dabka intersection in Mogadishu as bitter shelling from the side of the AMSIOM troops were landing into many areas in Bakara Market.

Officials from Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen had claimed victory over today’s fighting in Mogadishu saying that they burnt one of the armed vehicles of the African Union troops AMISOM pointing out that they also inflicted more casualties to the allied soldiers of the TFG and the AU.

Eyewitnesses told Shabelle’s Mohamed Bashir that three passengers were also wounded at the front gate of Kulliyad Jalle Sia’d, the main base of the Burundian troops as a truck driver of a mini bus they traveling stopped there which caused the AU troops especially Burundians to open fire and wound three of the passengers while the others escaped from the accident.

Shabelle contacted with the spokesman of AMISOM troops asking why their forces blocked the streets of Mogadishu and also what military movement they did and replied that it was normal for the AMSIOM troops make movement or petrol in the areas of their bases in Mogadishu asserting that they could go further areas out the capital.

Most of the people died or wounded in the clashes between the transitional government soldiers backing by AMISOM troops and Islamist fighters were civilians and were rushed to the hospitals in Mogadishu according to Ali Muse, and official of the emergency.

The fighting had also halted all movements of the traffic, people and business in the capital though the situation seems normal at currently.

By: Hassan Osman Abdi +2521-5577743

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