Somalia: Dawn battle erupts in Mogadishu

[Coeus]

Heavy fighting between Al-Shabab fighters and the Somali government soldiers gaining military support from the African Union troops in Mogadishu has on Tuesday morning commenced at Hodan district in Mogadishu, Radio Garowe reports.

The fighting has started at 5:45am local time and subsided at 6:50am, and instantly after it has subsided, it has affected the few remaining residents of Hodan district, and eyes could catch them carrying few of their belongings over their heads, while their young children were closely following the foot steps of their parents.

Radio Garowe met on the way a mother who has shortened her name as Halima alone due to some security reasons, carrying some of her households on her head, carrying an infant on her back and two other children trailing behind her.

“My name is Halima, and as you can see I am fleeing from Hodan district, and I am rushing to where I think I and my children can stay safe, my children are orphan and I have no father to take care of them, I maintain my life and those of my children through begging my fellow Muslim brothers” said Halima speaking to Radio Garowe.

The Islamist insurgent faction of Al-Shabab has been since on Sunday carrying out sequence of attacks, against the Somali government soldiers and those of the African Union troops.

Al-Shababs is determined to cut off Maka-Almukarama which is the only street in Mogadishu where the Somali government officials and the African Union troops use for their especial purposes, such as going to the airport and other military bases.

A Somali government noncommissioned officer at the frontline has told the press that they had the upper hand in the battle.

“In fact we have been alert expecting that these evil fighters will be carrying out attacks at anytime, but their expectations never worked, and we reached as far as where they have dug trenches” said Abdikadir Abdullah a noncommissioned Somali military officer

The various medical sources in Mogadishu are verifying that in the last couple of days they are receiving multiple of people who were caught between these battling rivals.