Heavy Fighting In Mogadishu
The heaviest fighting since the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu has caused around 36 civilian deaths and over 95 injuries (including a 5 day old baby), according to medical centres in the city.
The fighting started in Mogadishu at around 4:00 PM yesterday afternoon when the people in Mogadishu were in the midst of preparing for the breaking of their period of fasting. Now many have fled their homes.
The fighting came a short while after a spokesman of Al-Shabaab Sheikh Ali Mohamed Raghe (Sheikh Ali Dhere) called for the Al-Shabaab troops and the Somali people to launch a heavy attack (which he named ‘The eradication of the invaders’) against the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the African Union Peace keeping forces in Mogadishu.
The fighting broke out at the same time in many parts of Mogadishu, with most of the violence centred on Bondhere , Hodan and Howl-Wadag in the Benadir province. Violence continues across the city, with both sides using heavy weapons. In addition there has been heavy shelling from the AMISOM bases in Mogadishu on districts controlled by Al-Shabaab. However most of the shells hit Bakara Market, the largest and busiest market in Somalia.
The hospitals in Mogadishu say they are overwhelmed by the large number of critical civilian injuries from armed conflict and mortar shelling in Mogadishu. Medina Hospital, one of the biggest hospitals in Mogadishu, said that all staff were engaged in the treatment of their patients injured during the exchange of fire and shelling.
Al-Shabaab has already told that they will carry out serious attacks against the frontline bases of Ahlu-Sunna, TFG and AU troops in Mogadishu during the holy month of Ramadan and identified two days this month, the 16th and 17th of Ramadan, when they will kill many troops by seizing their bases. Al-Shabaab seem to have been strongly preparing for these so far well-executed attacks.
With the collapse of former military regime of Mohamed Siad Barre, and no central functioning government since 1991, Somalia has had to contend with anarchism and lawlessness for nearly 20 years.
You can read more over at Al Jazeera.