Somalia Jihad Update. “Heavy fighting rocks Somali capital,” from Agence France-Presse:
MOGADISHU (AFP) – A civilian was killed in heavy fighting that rocked the Somali capital on Tuesday, shattering a week-long lull in clashes between Ethiopia-backed government forces and Islamist-led insurgents.
Rival sides pounded each other with heavy artillery, mainly in southern Mogadishu, an AFP correspondent reported.
“A mortar landed in a house where it killed a civilian and wounded four others,” said Ahmed Abdullahi, a resident of northern Sanaa neighbourhood.
Abdullahi said the shell was a stray fired from the battle zones that were inaccessible due to the fighting.
Ethiopian-backed government forces have been battling Islamist-led insurgents since the beginning of the year, when the guerrillas were ousted from the country’s southern and central regions.