Sunday, April 05, 2009
MOGADISHU (AFP) - At least two civilians were killed and four wounded in Mogadishu when hardline Islamist fighters attacked African Union (AU) peacekeepers and Somali government forces, police said Sunday.
Insurgents armed with machineguns and rocket-launchers attacked a position manned by AU and police forces in the capital's K4 area late Saturday, police officer Mohamed Ahmed told AFP.
Witnesses in the nearby Taleh neighbourhood said a child was among the victims caused by retaliatory mortar fire.
"One child was killed and four of his brothers wounded when a mortar struck their house last night during the fighting," local resident Abdinasir Jabuti said.
Several witnesses said another civilian was killed in Taleh.
Violence in Mogadishu has eased since Ethiopian troops pulled out in January after a two-year occupation and President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was elected earlier this year.
Some hardline Islamist groups still opposed to the moderate Islamist president have however vowed to continue their attacks against government forces and foreign peacekeepers.
Source: AFP, April 05, 2009