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NAIROBI - War crimes have been committed by all sides in the conflict in Somalia - Ethiopian troops, Somali government forces and the insurgents they are fighting -- according to a newreport from Human Rights Watch.
Researchers say Ethiopian forces indiscriminately bombarded highly-populated areas of Mogadishu with rockets, mortars and artillery during two periods of intense fighting in March and April.
Hospitals were targeted and some civilians were executed.
Insurgents loyal to the Union of Islamic Courts were also criticised for deploying in densely populated neighbourhoods and carrying out targeted killings of civilian officials in the Somali government.
Ethiopian forces entered Somalia last year in a successful bid to oust the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) which had been in control of Mogadishu and large swathes of southern and central Somalia.
Hardline fighters loyal to the UIC launched an insurgency at the end of January which Ethiopian and Somali government troops struggled to pacify.
A massive offensive was launched against the insurgents at the end of March.
Hundreds of people were killed and more than 400,000 fled their homes during the fighting.
Tom Porteous of Human Rights Watch said he was "puzzled" that the United States and European Union had not publicly criticised Ethiopia or the Somali government.
"It was pretty clear that some very serious fighting was going on and that civilians were bearing the brunt of it.
The US and the EU need to start taking the situation in Somalia seriously and stop turning a blind eye to it," he said.
Washington gave its backing to Ethiopia's military operation in December which ousted the UIC.
The US has long been concerned about the presence of several Al Qaeda suspects using Somalia as a base.
But aid workers in the region have become increasingly worried that the US's counter-terrorism aims are taking precedence over humanitarian issues.
"America's security agenda has planted its feet firmly in the region and has really distorted multilateral efforts of engagement," said one worker, who wished to remain anonymous.
A national reconciliation conference has been taking place in Mogadishu for the past month, but the main opposition groups have boycotted it and the level of violence has not decreased, with civilians caught in the crossfire.
Somali journalists striving to cover the conflict are being targeted, with both sides issuing threats.
Two journalists were assassinated over the weekend.
Mahad Elmi, a talk radio show host, was shot outside his station.
Hours later, Ali Iman Sharmarke, the owner of the radio station, HornAfrik, was blown up by a roadside bomb when returning from Elmi's funeral.
- INDEPENDENT
