MOGADISHU - An Ethiopian soldier and two civilians were killed in the Somali capital today as violence pitting government forces against Islamist-led insurgents continued to rage, witnesses said.
An Ethiopian soldier died in fighting that erupted when his colleagues raided suspected Islamist insurgent hideouts in southern Mogadishu’s Al-Baraka neighbourhood.
"I have seen the body of a Ethiopian soldier at Al-Baraka junction... Another soldier was wounded on the leg," said a resident who requested anonymity.
Area resident Mohamed Ali said two civilians were also killed. "A man selling petrol near the junction was hit by a stray bullet and the other was shot by Ethiopian forces as he tried to escape," he said.
At least 10 civilians were killed in various incidents last weekend - -including one in which Ethiopian troops opened fire on demonstrators protesting against their presence in Somalia.
On Wednesday, the United Nations (UN) refugee agency said up to 90,000 civilians were displaced in Mogadishu in the weekend fighting, which was "the worst in months."
Alarmed by the worsening violence, 40 humanitarian groups - include Care, Oxfam and Islamic Relief - warned of an "unfolding humanitarian catastrophe" in parts of Somalia and said they could no longer meet the country’s growing relief needs.
The fighting is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation which has left 1.5 million - almost one sixth of the total population - in need of help.
The UN says at least 450,000 people have been displaced by the violence that erupted in January after Ethiopian forces helped oust an Islamist movement that had ruled much of the south and central region for months.
SOURCE: AFP, November 2, 2007