Friday, November 07, 2008
Rival sides pounded each other with heavy artillery in southern Mogadishu, one of the most volatile zones in the capital.
"Two civilians died and five others wounded near Hararyale area after an artillery shell struck a house they were staying in," said witness Osman Moalin.
Another witness, Abdullahi Hasan, said a stray bullet killed a civilian in nearby Bakara market, bringing the death toll to three.
Ethiopian troops poured into Somalia in late 2006 and helped oust Islamist militants who had taken control of much of the country and started to impose Sharia law.
Since then, the rebels have waged a guerrilla war, saying they would only meet the government for peace talks after Ethiopian troops pull out of the country.
Somalia, a nation of some 10 million people, has lacked an effective government since the 1991 ouster of president Mohamed Siad Barre touched off a bloody power struggle that has defied numerous attempts to restore stability.
Source: AFP, Nov 07, 2008