Monday, October 08, 2012
Fighting in northern district of the country’s capital Mogadishu killed at least four soldiers on Saturday night as government troops backed by African Union peacekeeping forces and al-Shabab fighters clashed.
Residents said the clash took place in Mogadishu’s Dharkeneley district.
“On Sunday morning, I have seen four dead bodies lying on the street near government base in Dharkeneley district,” said a local resident, Abdolazisi Dahir.
A grenade attack has also killed at least four people including three government soldiers and injured two others in Mugadishu’s Bakara market.
“The grenade was thrown by an unidentified assailant into a vehicle carrying government soldiers…” said a Businessman in Bakara Market, Mohammad Amin.
“Those wounded were sent to Medina Hospital for medical treatments,” he added.
Meanwhile, in the Somali's central town of Beledweyn, an explosion has claimed the lives of at least three Somali troops.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, when warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.
The weak Western-backed transitional government in Mogadishu has been battling al-Shabab fighters for some past years and is propped up by thousands of African Union forces from Uganda, Burundi, and Djibouti.