Witnesses in Somalia's capital say at least 12 people have been killed
in the latest fighting between government forces and Islamist
insurgents.
The fighting that broke out late Tuesday was said to
be the heaviest since Ethiopian troops backing the government withdrew
from Mogadishu last week.
Residents say at least four people
died when insurgents attacked a government checkpoint in the northern
neighborhood of Sana. More were killed in a fight to control a police
post in the Madina neighborhood. That second clash prompted hundreds
of local residents to flee the area.
The insurgent attacks took place in parts of Mogadishu where the interim Somali government still has nominal control.
The
insurgents have taken over nearly all of central and southern Somalia
in recent months, except for the capital and the parliament seat of
Baidoa.
The government has been weakened by infighting and is
without a president following the resignation of Abdullahi Yusuf last
month. Parliament is scheduled to elect a new leader January 29.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
