Mogadishu: 21 Killed In 'Worst Battle'Since Ethiopia Pullout

[Somalian_Boqor]

Mogadishu: 21 killed in 'worst battle' since Ethiopia pullout
24 Feb 24, 2009 - 11:35:12 AM

MOGADISHU, Somalia Feb 24 (Garowe Online) - At least 21 people were killed and dozens wounded Tuesday in Somalia’s war-torn capital Mogadishu, Radio Garowe reports.
The fighting erupted after African Union (AMISOM) peacekeepers and Somali government forces expanded into several Mogadishu districts under insurgent control, witnesses said.

Fighters loyal to two insurgent groups – Al Shabaab and Party of Islam – took to the streets and sparked “the worst battle since Ethiopian troops left,” according to Radio Garowe’s correspondent in Mogadishu.

Medina Hospital officials said more than 50 wounded people were admitted for treatment, adding that the fighting was still ongoing and more wounded people were expected.

One hospital official told the BBC Somali Service that six victims died at the hospital, bringing the total number of deaths to 21, mostly civilians.

A spokesman for Party of Islam, a recently formed coalition of Islamist rebels, said two fighters were “martyred” during the fighting, where machineguns, rockets and artillery fire was exchanged.

Gen. Yusuf Dhumal, the deputy commander of the Somali national police, told reporters that two police officers were killed and six others wounded during the battle, which continued into the night.

The presidential palace at Villa Somalia was targeted with a number of mortars, as President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed held a security meeting inside, according to local reports.

Civilian homes were caught in the crossfire, becoming unintended targets as the battle raged between the two sides.

Most of Mogadishu's Islamist fighters were reported to be fighting on the same side of the war, dealing a severe blow to President Sheikh Sharif's calls for peace and dialogue with the rebels.

Sheikh Sharif, who was the Islamists' leader in 2006, became Somali President at an election in neighboring Djibouti last month.

Islamist hardliners, including former Sharif ally Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, have rejected the new 'unity government,' whose leadership is dominated by Islamist officials.

The UN-backed 'unity government' is the 15th attempt by the international community to restore order in Somalia.

The 3,500-strong AMISOM peacekeeping force in Mogadishu has been the subject of scrutiny since thousands of Ethiopian troops withdrew after an unpopular, two-year military intervention.

Source: Garowe Online

[Sagaashan]

wadaadow dhibtii waa badatee nagala soo bax
wadaadow ciyaal la laayo xal ma aha
dagaal ciyaal baa ku dhintee mid kuma dhasho

what the hell happen to this culumos. they are supposed to be better than this. this is what i dont get, who is forcing this wadaads and their followers to have thier own masjids, casharos, and degaans. what are they fighting for that they are not allowed to have.

[FAH1223]

somalia has no hope

[Somalian_Boqor]

This is sad wallahi. They won't let an Hawiye man to Bring Peace To Mogadishu and the rest of Southern Somalia to reunit the people. They ousted A/Y from doing his job and now they won't allow a "Sheikh" who just yesterday was their leader to bring about peace. President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed calls for peace and dialogue are confronted with AK-47s.

This is Anarchy at it's finest.

[Abmn]

somalia has no hope

You're mistaken.

[FAH1223]

somalia has no hope

You're mistaken.

sorry the islamists dont even have plans for peace and development in the long term...short term... yeah their territories are fine

only fighting, and somalis have had enough fighting

[Salahuddiin]

The fighting erupted after African Union (AMISOM) peacekeepers and Somali government forces expanded into several Mogadishu districts under insurgent control, witnesses said.

Sad that people are getting killed, Allah yarxamahum all the muslims who died.

From the story we also can see who started fighting and who is to blame. Islamists shouldn't give AMISOM and government even one street they control until gov replies to what culama asked them and promise to install sharica within 3 months and kick out gaalada from the country within 4 months. That is the first step and the ball is in Sharif's court.

[Abmn]

sorry the islamists dont even have plans for peace and development in the long term...short term... yeah their territories are fine

only fighting, and somalis have had enough fighting

Elaborate what you mean by "the islamists dont even have plans for peace and development in the long term...short term", and cite your source proving what you claimed.

[FAH1223]

sorry the islamists dont even have plans for peace and development in the long term...short term... yeah their territories are fine

only fighting, and somalis have had enough fighting

Elaborate what you mean by "the islamists dont even have plans for peace and development in the long term...short term", and cite your source proving what you claimed.

their plans is for a khalifa and thats gonna take forever sxb

[Abmn]

their plans is for a khalifa and thats gonna take forever sxb

You earlier claimed the Islamists have no plans for peace and development and only excel in fighting. When asked to elaborate, you claimed their plans is for khalifa. You make the impression that there's a correlation between plans for khalifa and inability to make peace and develop the country. Let me elaborate the question; are you claiming Islamists in general don't know how to govern and develop a country? Are you also claiming Somalis need a higher Western degree (Masters, PHd, etc) in order to govern and develop their country?

[FAH1223]

well, the islamists have educated men, you don't need western education, i never implied that

but I do believe Islamists far and wide.. don't know how to run a country or develop it (I'm not saying Secularism is the way for Muslims, far from it.. we need sharia)

its a never ending battle against kaffir with the barrell of the gun

peace and development isn't on the list of their agenda... its just keep fighting forever till the kaffir are gone and colonial borders are gone

[Abmn]

but I do believe Islamists far and wide.. don't know how to run a country or develop it (I'm not saying Secularism is the way for Muslims, far from it.. we need sharia)

What's your that belief based on? If we are talking about an Islamist country, the only such existing country is Iran. Despite economic, trade, commerce and military sanctions and embargoes, Iran has managed to send its own satellite into the orbit, build its own drone with a range of 1000 kms, build a range of sophisticated arms and weapons, has its own automobile industry (13 public and privately owned automakers), etc. It's far better and more industrialized than many moderate Muslim countries that have more wealth.

If we are talking about Islamist movements, there's Hamas & Hezbollah and both are efficient movements that provide a range of social services to their people. They also efficiently administer and govern the regions they control. The same applies to the Taliban, whom ordinary Afghans seek for governance, justice and arbitration because the corrupt secular Karzai administration miserably failed to provide a modicum of governance, justice and arbitration. As for Al-Shabaab or the former ICU, before the invasion, they restored peace to Somalia, fought illegal drug & alcohol circulation, closed cinemas showing pornographic movies, opened the airport and seaport, and done many achievements in the short span they ruled. And no, they didn't commit a grave mistake by declaring jihad against Ethiopia (actually against Ethiopian troops in Somalia). So, I don't get what your belief is based on.