Somalia street battles rage for sixth day

MOGADISHU - Hundreds of terrified residents fled a barrage of rockets and mortars in Mogadishu today as Islamic fighters and warlord militias fought pitched battles for control of the Somali capital.

Inhabitants of the battered city said at least 12 more people had died overnight, pushing the death toll from six days of fighting to at least 133.

Close-quarter street battles spread beyond Mogadishu's northern shanty town of Siisii into the neighbouring district of Yaqshid, in the worst violence in the lawless capital for more than a decade.

Warlord spokesman Hussein Gutale Rage said the death toll had reached 150 but this could not be immediately verified.

Clutching a few possessions, many Mogadishu inhabitants fled to safer parts of the city and looters ransacked empty houses, undeterred by a barrage from artillery, mortars and anti-aircraft missiles.

Some were unable to escape.

"Around 600 civilians are trapped in storm drains with bullets and mortars flying over them, they can't get out because heavy fighting is still going on," said Ali Nur, a member of the warlords militia.

Many seriously wounded civilians, including women and children, lay in the city's Madina hospital with heavy head, chest and limb wounds.

Hundreds of people have been wounded in the clashes, with shells regularly hitting houses and killing many civilians.

"We have decided to leave because the fighting looks like it will go on for a long time," Ahmed Jimale said as he fled with his children from Siisii.

"Those who have cars have driven off with essential goods while the rest are fleeing on foot," Siyad Mohamed, a militia leader linked to the Islamic side, told Reuters by telephone.

Hundreds of militiamen roared into battle on the backs of "technicals" - pickup trucks mounted with heavy guns which are their favourite mobile weapon.

Others, armed with assault rifles and rocket launchers massed in a barren field near the battle zone.

By evening, Mohamed said the fighting had eased after the fighters paused for Muslim Friday prayers, but he expected it to be a short break.

Analysts view the fighting in the failed Horn of Africa state as a proxy battle between al Qaeda and Washington, which is widely believed to be funding the warlords.

Fighting intensifies

This week's Mogadishu battles were the third round this year between gunmen allied to Islamic courts and militia from a self-styled anti-terrorist alliance of powerful warlords.

Many residents say the Islamic courts, which have created a semblance of order in the lawless city of 1 million by dispensing justice under sharia law, are fighting to repel a determined warlord offensive to take areas under their control.

Ali Nur said: "No group seems to be winning, it's a very close battle with so many fatalities, it will definitely continue for days until one group is weakened.".

Resident Abdifatah Abdikadir said the Islamic side was broadcasting radio messages urging residents to take up arms.

Washington has long viewed Somalia, without an effective central government since the 1991 ousting of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, as a terrorist haven.

Somalia's interim President Abdullahi Yusuf accuses Washington of backing the warlords' "Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism".

The fighting in Mogadishu shows how little control Somalia's fledging government - the 14th attempt to restore rule in 15 years - has over the nation of 10 million.

- REUTERS