Heavy Fighting Kills 5 in Somali Capital

  17 July 2008

Witnesses in Somalia say heavy fighting between Islamist insurgents and Ethiopian troops has killed at least five people in the capital.

The latest fighting began after Islamic rebels attacked an Ethiopian military base in Mogadishu.

Witnesses say several civilians were killed by stray bullets and mortar fire.

Ethiopian troops entered Somalia two years ago to help the interim government fight an Islamist movement that was threatening to take over the country.

Somalia has been continuously torn by conflict since the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. 

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.

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