(BBC) — A mother and two children are among 25 people and 13 civilians, killed in fierce fighting in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, witnesses say.
They were killed when a mortar shell landed on their house, neighbours said. The fighting began when 100 insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades attacked three government and Ethiopian Woyanne bases south of the city.
An insurgent spokesman told the BBC they had killed 10 Ethiopian Woyanne troops, while two of their men had died.
Ethiopian Woyanne has not commented on these claims.
Eyewitnesses say the civilians were killed when Ethiopian Woyanne troops fired shells in response to the attack by Islamist fighters.
“The insurgents came with minibuses and other vehicles and immediately started firing at an Ethiopian Woyanne base at the former defence ministry building and nearby government military base,” said local resident Abdi Wahab Kalil.
The insurgents have also attacked Mogadishu’s main football stadium, which is now the main Ethiopian Woyanne military base in the city.
“It was a horrific scene, and we collected the flesh of their bodies which was stuck to the walls,” said Sahara Aden Samow, who lives in the Hamarjadiid district, where several Ethiopian Woyanne mortars landed.
Ceasefire
Staff at Mogadishu’s Medina hospital said they took in 18 wounded people, including six children.
“Most of the wounded were brought here early this morning, because they could not have an access to the hospitals, they are now under treatment,” said one doctor, Dahi Dheere.
On Wednesday, two policemen were killed in an attack which occurred a few minutes after a convoy carrying President Abdullahi Yusuf had driven past.