SOMALIA: Fierce fighting breaks out between Somali and Ethiopian forces and unidentified gunmen in chaotic city of Mogadishu.

Record ID: 374760

  • Title: SOMALIA: Fierce fighting breaks out between Somali and Ethiopian forces and unidentified gunmen in chaotic city of Mogadishu.
  • Date: 24th February 2007
  • Summary: (BN09) MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (FEBRUARY 24, 2007) (REUTERS) MORTAR FIRE SOUNDING OVER MOGADISHU FROM A DISTANCE
  • Embargoed: 11th March 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Somalia
  • Country: Somalia
  • Topics: War / Fighting
  • Reuters ID: LVA1RAXADMPDVELSVG4W3Z49YBS1
  • Story Text: Mortar fire kills three and scores of others are injured when fighting broke out between Somalia government and Ethiopian troops when militia gunmen opened fire.

    Somali government troops and their Ethiopian allies battled unidentified gunmen on Saturday (February 24) with tanks and heavy artillery in the latest of near-daily assault in the capital Mogadishu.
    At least three civilians were killed by stray bullets and retaliatory fire in the nearby central Bar Ubah and Gupta areas after attackers struck the former defence ministry where government and Ethiopian soldiers have a base.
    On Saturday Mogadishu residents were tending the wounded in hospital and examining the debris of their shattered homes.
    "We have lost two people, three are seriously wounded while a pregnant woman lost her baby after the mortars hit their house," a resident Maryan Sheikh said.
    Homes in the area were struck by stray bullets and shells as the government forces and a vigilante group fired back at the attackers, residents said.
    A rocket also struck a house and killed a man and wounded nine others.
    "Eight mortars hit our houses, we haven't slept the whole night as we were all afraid," said resident Ali Hassan.
    The interim government and its Ethiopian allies have been hit with near-daily attacks by unidentified gunmen in the Horn of Africa country's seaside capital.
    They blame remnants of a hardline Islamist movement they drove out of Mogadishu and southern Somalia in a two-week joint offensive before the New Year, saying the militant group is paying 100 USD for each attack -- a fortune in the poor country.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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