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| Mogadishu carnage devastates lives | Mogadishu carnage devastates lives |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| By Mohamed Olad Hassan BBC News, Mogadishu | By Mohamed Olad Hassan BBC News, Mogadishu |
| Cradling her baby brother in stick-thin arms, eight-year-old Halima Mayow says little about the incident which wiped out their family in Mogadishu. | Cradling her baby brother in stick-thin arms, eight-year-old Halima Mayow says little about the incident which wiped out their family in Mogadishu. |
| But, at a camp on the outskirts of the Somali capital, the only word she does utter - "Mortar! Mortar!" - sums up the tragedy which has spawned two more orphans in this war-torn country. | But, at a camp on the outskirts of the Somali capital, the only word she does utter - "Mortar! Mortar!" - sums up the tragedy which has spawned two more orphans in this war-torn country. |
| Halima Mayow and her baby brother lost their family in a mortar attack | Halima Mayow and her baby brother lost their family in a mortar attack |
| A neighbour of the family tells me a shell landed on the children's family home at a slum in the Siisii area, north of the city. | A neighbour of the family tells me a shell landed on the children's family home at a slum in the Siisii area, north of the city. |
| "It killed the father, the mother and three of the children," Shamso Abdulle said. | "It killed the father, the mother and three of the children," Shamso Abdulle said. |
| "We took these two children with us after their family was buried by the villagers. | "We took these two children with us after their family was buried by the villagers. |
| "They will live with us because we don't know where their relatives are and we couldn't leave them there." | "They will live with us because we don't know where their relatives are and we couldn't leave them there." |
| Intense fighting between forces in favour of the UN-backed government and radical Islamist guerrillas has triggered a human exodus from the bullet-pocked capital since the second week of May. | Intense fighting between forces in favour of the UN-backed government and radical Islamist guerrillas has triggered a human exodus from the bullet-pocked capital since the second week of May. |
| The UN refugee agency says more than 100,000 people have been forced out of their homes during the recent bout of bloodletting. | The UN refugee agency says more than 100,000 people have been forced out of their homes during the recent bout of bloodletting. |
| Orphans under trees | Orphans under trees |
| It leaves an estimated half a million internally displaced people languishing on the outskirts of the city. | It leaves an estimated half a million internally displaced people languishing on the outskirts of the city. |
| The tiny body of 30-day-old Sahali Haji Abdi lies trembling, as a doctor looks for a bullet in his abdomen 'I may not see my family again' | The tiny body of 30-day-old Sahali Haji Abdi lies trembling, as a doctor looks for a bullet in his abdomen 'I may not see my family again' |
| Oxfam's co-ordinator for the failed Horn of Africa state warned last week that the crisis in Somalia was Africa's worst for many years. | |
| According to figures gathered from the cemeteries, hospitals and residential areas by local human right groups, more than 200 people have died over the last month alone. | According to figures gathered from the cemeteries, hospitals and residential areas by local human right groups, more than 200 people have died over the last month alone. |
| "Nearly 300 others were injured," said Ali Fadhaa, of the local Elmen rights organisation. | "Nearly 300 others were injured," said Ali Fadhaa, of the local Elmen rights organisation. |
| The crump of mortars; the crackle of gunfire; eerily empty streets; prowling guerrillas and looters; sprawling refugee camps; hospitals overflowing with casualties, their bodies smashed open by bullets, shells and shrapnel - these are the everyday scenes of life in Mogadishu. | The crump of mortars; the crackle of gunfire; eerily empty streets; prowling guerrillas and looters; sprawling refugee camps; hospitals overflowing with casualties, their bodies smashed open by bullets, shells and shrapnel - these are the everyday scenes of life in Mogadishu. |
| Those who have managed to flee the carnage have done so with little more than sleeping mats and the clothes they wore. | Those who have managed to flee the carnage have done so with little more than sleeping mats and the clothes they wore. |
| I lost my parents when we were separated by gunfire as we ran out of our village Ma'ey Kheyrow, 16 | I lost my parents when we were separated by gunfire as we ran out of our village Ma'ey Kheyrow, 16 |
| Food is scarce, water is very costly and there is no sanitation, though some refugees have access to water tanks donated by local non-governmental organisations affiliated to international aid groups. | Food is scarce, water is very costly and there is no sanitation, though some refugees have access to water tanks donated by local non-governmental organisations affiliated to international aid groups. |
| Relief efforts have been hampered by the lack of security, poor infrastructure and harassment from government soldiers. | Relief efforts have been hampered by the lack of security, poor infrastructure and harassment from government soldiers. |
| As well as her own children, 24-year-old Sahra Ahmed Dahir is caring for six orphaned youngsters under a tree in the Elasha neighbourhood, south-west of the city. | As well as her own children, 24-year-old Sahra Ahmed Dahir is caring for six orphaned youngsters under a tree in the Elasha neighbourhood, south-west of the city. |
| "We're looking for shelter but it's very expensive. I have no-one to support me and and nowhere to go," she said. | "We're looking for shelter but it's very expensive. I have no-one to support me and and nowhere to go," she said. |
| "My husband died a week ago before we came here. He was hit by a stray bullet, while trying to go out to bring food to the children." | "My husband died a week ago before we came here. He was hit by a stray bullet, while trying to go out to bring food to the children." |
| The internally displaced people's camps are full of young people who have been separated from their adult relatives during the fighting. | The internally displaced people's camps are full of young people who have been separated from their adult relatives during the fighting. |
| Crossfire | |
| Sixteen-year-old Ma'ey Kheyrow has been left caring for her baby brother after losing her parents and sister. | Sixteen-year-old Ma'ey Kheyrow has been left caring for her baby brother after losing her parents and sister. |
| Civilians are taken to hospital on cars, carts and wheelbarrows | Civilians are taken to hospital on cars, carts and wheelbarrows |
| "I only remember a week ago we were separated by gunfire as we were running out of our village in Mogadishu," she says. "We ran in two different directions and since then I haven't heard of them." | "I only remember a week ago we were separated by gunfire as we were running out of our village in Mogadishu," she says. "We ran in two different directions and since then I haven't heard of them." |
| Civilians end up slaughtered daily in the crossfire. | Civilians end up slaughtered daily in the crossfire. |
| The gory civilian by-product of the mayhem can be glimpsed in the city's three hospitals: Medina and Keysaney (run by the International Committee of the Red Cross) and Daynile (run by Medecins Sans Frontieres). | The gory civilian by-product of the mayhem can be glimpsed in the city's three hospitals: Medina and Keysaney (run by the International Committee of the Red Cross) and Daynile (run by Medecins Sans Frontieres). |
| Just 30 days old, the tiny chalky grey body of Sahali Haji Abdi lies trembling on an operating table in Medina Hospital. | Just 30 days old, the tiny chalky grey body of Sahali Haji Abdi lies trembling on an operating table in Medina Hospital. |
| His little stomach is slit down the middle. | His little stomach is slit down the middle. |
| A nurse tells me a doctor is searching for a bullet in the baby's abdomen; I can see a large hole in his lower back. | A nurse tells me a doctor is searching for a bullet in the baby's abdomen; I can see a large hole in his lower back. |
| Sahali's frantic mother awaits the results of the surgery outside the operating theatre. | Sahali's frantic mother awaits the results of the surgery outside the operating theatre. |
| "Me and my family were about to flee a house in Jungal [north Mogadishu] when the bullet hit my son," she said. | "Me and my family were about to flee a house in Jungal [north Mogadishu] when the bullet hit my son," she said. |
| "I only realised he was hit when I heard him cry out and saw blood streaming out of a cot he was lying on." | "I only realised he was hit when I heard him cry out and saw blood streaming out of a cot he was lying on." |
| Few doctors | Few doctors |
| Whenever there is fighting, a convoy of cars, minibuses and trucks deliver civilians to the already overflowing hospitals. | Whenever there is fighting, a convoy of cars, minibuses and trucks deliver civilians to the already overflowing hospitals. |
| Radical Islamist guerrillas have sworn to topple the UN-backed government | Radical Islamist guerrillas have sworn to topple the UN-backed government |
| Those without motor transport have to rely on wheelbarrows or carts. | Those without motor transport have to rely on wheelbarrows or carts. |
| Dr Mohamed Yusuf, a surgeon at Medina Hospital, told me they could not cope with the patients because of a lack of beds and staff. | Dr Mohamed Yusuf, a surgeon at Medina Hospital, told me they could not cope with the patients because of a lack of beds and staff. |
| "We have the medicine provided by Red Cross, but there are few doctors and nurses," he said. | "We have the medicine provided by Red Cross, but there are few doctors and nurses," he said. |
| The hospital has only 100 beds but is often coping with four times that number of patients, many lying on tables, the floor or tents in the corridors. | The hospital has only 100 beds but is often coping with four times that number of patients, many lying on tables, the floor or tents in the corridors. |
| There are few certainties in Somalia, but one thing seems depressingly inevitable: as battles continue to rage in Mogadishu, more innocents like Halima, Sahali and Ma'ey will endure suffering beyond their tender years. | There are few certainties in Somalia, but one thing seems depressingly inevitable: as battles continue to rage in Mogadishu, more innocents like Halima, Sahali and Ma'ey will endure suffering beyond their tender years. |