Official: 17 civilians killed during heavy shelling and gunbattles in Somali capital
By APThursday, June 3, 2010
17 Somalis die in shelling, gunbattles in capital
MOGADISHU, Somalia — A medical official says at least 17 civilians have been killed during heavy shelling and fierce gunbattles between government forces and Islamist insurgents in the Somali capital.
Ali Muse of Mogadishu’s ambulance service says the death toll includes six women and a family of five whose home was smashed by shelling on Thursday. Sixty-one other people have been wounded, he says.
Hassan Abdullahi said the fighting started when government forces backed by African Union peacekeepers rolled into his northern Mogadishu neighborhood.
Abdullahi said the offensive appeared coordinated and government forces routed insurgents from several of their strongholds.
Somalia’s capital has been the epicenter of the country’s 19 years of conflict and lawlessness.
