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Carnage in Somali market shelling | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
About 40 people have been killed in the Somali capital, mostly when shells were fired on the busy Bakara market. | |
Witnesses say Ethiopian troops fired mortars after insurgents launched simultaneous attacks on the two main African Union peacekeeping bases. | |
"There is blood everywhere, and human flesh on the walls," said market trader Abshir Mohamed Ali. | |
Eleven people were killed when a shell landed in an alleyway, while six family members died overnight, they say. | |
Correspondents say the clashes are among the fiercest in Mogadishu for several months. | |
Minutes later, two neighbours who rushed to assist them died in the same house after another mortar shell struck Mohamed Hussein, elder | |
They say hospitals are overwhelmed with all the wounded. | |
Meanwhile, a kidnapped German and his Somali wife have been freed. | Meanwhile, a kidnapped German and his Somali wife have been freed. |
They were released by police in the semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Puntland, officials say. | They were released by police in the semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Puntland, officials say. |
They were seized at gunpoint over the weekend. | They were seized at gunpoint over the weekend. |
'Disaster' | |
The Ethiopian troops are backing government forces against the Islamist insurgents. | |
About 30 people died in Bakara, after at least eight were killed in the overnight clashes, witnesses say. | |
Ali Mohamed Siyad, who chairs Bakara market traders' association, said the shelling was a "disaster". | |
He told the BBC that it came as large numbers of people were shopping ahead of next week's Eid festival to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. | |
Most of the AU peacekeepers in Somalia are from Uganda | |
On Friday, the police said insurgents had launched attacks from the market. | |
The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan says the AU bases near the airport and in the K4 district were attacked overnight. | |
"A mother and her five children died when a mortar hit their house," elder Mohamed Hussein told the AFP news agency. | |
"Minutes later, two neighbours who rushed to assist them died in the same house after another mortar shell struck," he said. | "Minutes later, two neighbours who rushed to assist them died in the same house after another mortar shell struck," he said. |
The fighting is so fierce that people were unable to go and collect the bodies of those killed. | |
Our correspondent says two medical staff and a patient were wounded when a mortar hit a mental hospital. | Our correspondent says two medical staff and a patient were wounded when a mortar hit a mental hospital. |
AU spokesman Baridgye Bahuko said there had been no casualties among the peacekeepers. | AU spokesman Baridgye Bahuko said there had been no casualties among the peacekeepers. |
On Friday, an AU plane became the first aircraft to land at the main Mogadishu airport for four days, after insurgents from the al-Shabab group threatened to shoot down planes. | On Friday, an AU plane became the first aircraft to land at the main Mogadishu airport for four days, after insurgents from the al-Shabab group threatened to shoot down planes. |
This led to fierce battles on Friday. | This led to fierce battles on Friday. |
Representatives from the government and Islamist groups again delayed a ceasefire they had been due to sign on Friday in neighbouring Djibouti. | Representatives from the government and Islamist groups again delayed a ceasefire they had been due to sign on Friday in neighbouring Djibouti. |
They could not agree on the wording of a statement on the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from the country. | They could not agree on the wording of a statement on the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from the country. |
The Ethiopians intervened in 2006 to help the government oust Islamist forces from the capital and surrounding regions. | The Ethiopians intervened in 2006 to help the government oust Islamist forces from the capital and surrounding regions. |
Islamist fighters from the al-Shabab group are not involved in the Djibouti talks. | Islamist fighters from the al-Shabab group are not involved in the Djibouti talks. |
They have said they would step up attacks during Ramadan. | They have said they would step up attacks during Ramadan. |
Only Uganda and Burundi have contributed troops to the AU peacekeeping force, which has just 2,000 troops of the 8,000 planned. | Only Uganda and Burundi have contributed troops to the AU peacekeeping force, which has just 2,000 troops of the 8,000 planned. |
Somalia has been wracked by conflict since 1991, when former President Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown. | Somalia has been wracked by conflict since 1991, when former President Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown. |