Mogadishu overnight clashes kill 20

[Hiiraan boy]

At least 20 people mostly civilians have been killed and more than 40 others were wounded in a renewed fighting that raged in the Somalia capital Mogadishu overnight, local medical sources said on Wednesday – the anticipated hopes dashed out with crisis worsening.

The latest fighting came when Islamic insurgents attacked a convoy of Ethiopian forces that were passing Wardhigley neighborhood south of the capital.

Heavy artillery weapons were haphazardly exchanged by the rival sides as deafening sound of weapons could be heard throughout the city. The clashes which lasted for several hours started around 8:30pm local time.

During the fighting, many residents fled their homes fearing that the fighting could escalate to an all out war.

Most of the civilians were either killed or injured by mortar and artillery fires that slammed onto their houses.

Some the fired shells hit the biggest market in Somalia, Bakara Market in Mogadishu, killing two persons and injuring four. The bombing of the market mounted a grow concern to many business people who are now planning to evacuate their commercial belongings out of the market.

The latest round of fighting came barely two days after the Ethiopian military officials rejected to withdraw its troops from areas they had captured in the early battle. It seems the ceasefire is no longer holding.