Aljazeera
May 24, 2009
Islamist
fighters in Somalia's capital have fired mortar bombs at the
presidential palace and attacked African Union(AU) peacekeepers.
Fighting raged on Saturday night leaving three people dead near
Bakara Market, and the AU called on the United Nations to impose
sanctions on Eritrea, which Mogadishu accuses of backing the fighters.
At least 45 people had been killed in clashes a day earlier.
A
senior Burundian officer told the Reuters news agency: "Opposition
groups have attacked us with rocket-propelled grenades. They are still
firing at us and we shall defend ourselves."
In
a statement, the AU called for a no fly-zone along with a sea blockade
off Somalia to stem the flow of weapons from Eritrea, which denies
supporting the Islamists.
Eritrea has recalled its AU ambassador in retaliation.
|
A lull in fighting in Mogadishu saw many
residents fleeing [AFP] |
Hizbul
Islam and al-Shabab fighters, linked to al-Qaeda, have intensified
their offensive against the new government of Sharif Ahmed, the Somali
president.
Somalia's neighbours and
Western governments fear the Horn of Africa nation, mired in civil war
for 18 years, could become a haven for Islamist fighters unless the new
government can defeat them.
A human rights group said a lull in
the violence on Saturday saw many residents fleeing, joining 49,000
others who have left the city.
But heavy gunfire and explosions could still be heard as people fled.
The AU, which has some 4,300 peacekeepers from Burundi and Uganda in
Mogadishu, is protecting key sites but its mandate limits the force to
defending itself when attacked.
Islamist fighters took up arms in 2007 to drive out Ethiopian troops
propping up a Western-backed government which failed to wield control
over much of Somalia.
Since the start of 2007, fighting has killed at least 17,700 civilians and driven more than one million from their homes.
About three million Somalis survive on emergency food aid.
The Ethiopians withdrew at the start of 2009 leaving Somalia as they found it - in chaos and with a weak central government.
SOURCE: Aljazeera, May 24, 2009