A helicopter has been shot down in the Somali capital, as Ethiopian and Somali government troops battle to clear insurgents from Mogadishu.
A helicopter has been shot down in the Somali capital, as Ethiopian and Somali government troops battle to clear insurgents from Mogadishu.
"The helicopter looked like a ball of smoke and fire before crashing," Ruqiya Shafi Muhyadin told AP news agency as it crashed in an area near the airport.
"The helicopter looked like a ball of smoke and fire before crashing," Ruqiya Shafi Muhyadin told AP news agency as it crashed in an area near the airport.
Correspondents say the Ethiopian helicopter was hit by a missile as it bombed positions held by insurgents.
Correspondents say the Ethiopian helicopter was hit by a missile.
Dozens of people died in heavy fighting on Thursday, ending a six-day truce.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says the fighting is the heaviest in the city for 15 years.
Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Ghedi insists the operation will continue, as it is aimed at restoring stability to the city, which has been wracked by conflict for 16 years.
Dozens of people have died since heavy fighting began on Thursday, ending a six-day truce.
Reconciliation
The ICRC said some 229 people, mostly women and children, had been taken to hospital in the past 24 hours.
A Somali security officer at Mogadishu airport confirmed the crash to AFP news agency.
Overwhelmed
"Nobody came out," he said.
A spokesman for the Ugandan African Union (AU) force confirmed the gunship had crashed near their base at Mogadishu's international airport.
We barely slept last night. The sky was lit up by shelling all night Faisal JamahMogadishu resident
We barely slept last night. The sky was lit up by shelling all night Faisal JamahMogadishu resident
"Our troops managed to secure the wreckage as well as taking away the bodies. Only two bodies were recovered," Capt Paddy Ankunda told AFP news agency.
Fighting resumed on Friday as pro-government forces battled insurgents at close quarters near Mogadishu's main football stadium in the south of the city.
Fighting resumed on Friday as pro-government forces battled insurgents at close quarters near Mogadishu's main football stadium in the south of the city.
"A mortar has just fallen into the house next to me. We can hear crying and can see smoke," Faisal Jamah told Reuters news agency.
"We barely slept last night. The sky was lit up by shelling all night," Faisal Jamah told Reuters news agency.
"We barely slept last night. The sky was lit up by shelling all night," he said.
"There are a lot of wounded, but there is no way to take them to the hospitals due to the fighting on the roads."
"There are a lot of wounded, but there is no way to take them to the hospitals due to the fighting on the roads."
The BBC's Mohamed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says hospitals in the city are overwhelmed with the wounded from Thursday's battles and dead bodies were scattered in the streets.
The BBC's Mohamed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says hospitals in the city are overwhelmed with the wounded from Thursday's battles and dead bodies were scattered in the streets.
An ICRC spokesman said staff at Medina and Keysaney hospitals were working hard to treat the number of casualties
"Just to give a figure, since 1 January these two hospitals received 1,000 weapon-wounded which is extremely high," Pedram Yazdi told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
'Terrorists'
'Terrorists'
Mr Ghedi said the media had exaggerated the scale of the fighting and also denied that his government was unpopular in Mogadishu.
Interim Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Ghedi insists the operation will continue in order to restore stability to the city, which has been wracked by conflict since the overthrow of Siad Barre in 1991.
"There are some insurgents in the city who have links with international terrorists and are fighting against the government and the people of Somalia - we are attacking their positions," Mr Ghedi told the BBC Network Africa programme from Saudi Arabia, where he is attending the Arab League summit.
Many civilians had been injured and wounded in recent weeks
Many civilians had been injured and wounded in recent weeks
On Thursday, crowds of people dragged bodies in uniform through the streets - it is not clear whether they belonged to Ethiopian or Somali soldiers.
"There are some insurgents in the city who have links with international terrorists and are fighting against the government and the people of Somalia," Mr Ghedi told the BBC Network Africa from the Arab League summit.
Ethiopian helicopter gunship and tanks were deployed against the insurgents.
He said plans for the national reconciliation conference in April were under way and they have invited moderate Islamic scholars for the conference.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told parliament that two-thirds of its troops have left Somalia and the remaining soldiers will leave in consultation with the African Union.
On Thursday, crowds of people dragged bodies in uniform through the streets.
Ethiopian troops helped install the interim government last December, replacing the Islamists who had governed the city for six months.
Ethiopia says two-thirds of its troops, which helped oust the Islamists who ruled much of southern Somalia for six months, have left.
Some 1,700 Ugandan troops are in Mogadishu as the advance party of an 8,000 strong AU force.
Some 1,700 Ugandan troops are in Mogadishu as the advance party of an 8,000-strong AU force.
Mr Ghedi also said that plans for the national reconciliation conference in April were under way and they have invited moderate Islamic scholars for the conference.
"Those who denounce violence and recognise the transitional federal charter for Somalia are welcome for the conference," he said.
Western governments have called on President Abdullahi Yusuf's government to involve moderate leaders of the ousted Union of Islamic Courts in the national reconciliation conference that will be held in Mogadishu.
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