la ilaha illa allah

[Somalian_Boqor]

Mogadishu Heavy fighting kills at least 12 civilians

Mogadishu fighting kills 12
(AFP) – 3 hours ago

MOGADISHU — Fresh fighting between Al Qaeda-inspired insurgents and pro-government forces in Somalia killed 12 people, officials and witnesses said Monday.

A Somali government official claimed to have repelled an attack launched late Sunday by the Shebab, an extremist group that has led a deadly insurgency aimed at toppling the Western-backed transitional government.

"The terrorist tried to penetrate our positions near Kilometre Zero but we taught them a lesson they will never forget. They were defeated and we killed many of their fighters," Mudiddin Ahmed told AFP.

He said three government soldiers were also killed and six injured.

The Shebab attacked several positions held by government forces as well as by the African Union force (AMISOM) that has kept the government alive for more than two years.

Witnesses said the fighting also killed civilians.

"The fighting was at its worst around Shibis and Bondhere districts. They exchanged heavy artillery and machinegun fire that left 12 dead, including civilians," Mohamed Bashir, a local resident, said.

He said he saw at least eight dead bodies, including three which he identified as Shebab. Other residents gave similar or higher death tolls.

Ali Hussein, another resident, told AFP that a stray shell struck a home, killing four members of the same family.

"A father and his wife, as well as two of their children, were killed in a house near Suqbacad last night when artillery fire destroyed their house," he said.

"Their bodies were completely charred and could barely be identified," said Halimo Adan, another eyewitness.

Thousands of people, many of them civilians, have been killed in more two years of almost daily fighting in Mogadishu.

Pro-government forces have failed to pin back the Shebab, who have also failed to punch their way to the presidency and take full control of the capital.