Two Dead in a Heavy Fighting in Mogadishu

[Castro]

At least on person was killed in heavy skirmishes that took place around Eimiska, a neighborhood in northeast of the capital Mogadishu last night. The fighting started about 10:00 pm local time.

 

Unknown gunmen, reportedly on two pick-up trucks fired, rocket-propelled grenades at Ethiopian and government convoy passing by the road. Witnesses said one of the government military vehicles was blazing as heavy exchanges of gunfire followed.

 

The gun battle continued for at least an hour. The number of casualties is not yet known.

 

Crowds of people came together on Monday morning at the areas where the incident happened. A large number of Ethiopian and government troops supported by tanks and armored vehicles blocked the main road linking Eimiska to Bakara market at the center of the capital.

 

Ahmed, a resident in Eimiska, told Shabelle by phone this morning that he saw a dead man lying in the middle of the road. "I think the man was deaf. The soldiers told him to go back but he did not, so he was shot dead instantly," he said.

 

Also last night, a government soldier was killed and three automatic guns were forcefully taken by unknown gunmen who attacked a government military compound in Hurwa, north of the capital.

 

Mohammed Hassan, one of the staff working for Shifo, a privately owned hospital in north Mogadishu, has told Shabelle by the phone that two people who were seriously wounded in last night's fighting were admitted to the hospital.

 

The government has not yet commented on the attacks.

 

Residents in Eimiska neighborhood said they could not come out of their houses in fear of Ethiopian troops and tanks that were positioned there. The troops searched house to house for guns and explosives.

AllAfrica

[Jabhad]

Deaths as Mogadishu convoy attacked

 

Ethiopia wants to withdraw its soldiers in the coming weeks [AFP]

 

 

Several people have been killed after gunmen fired on a convoy of Ethiopian troops in the Somali capital of Mogadishu in the latest of a string of attacks in the country.

 

A source for the government, which has said it wants African peacekeepers to be deployed as soon as possible, said on Monday that the attack happened the night before.

 

The attack occured hours after Ethiopian soldiers helped government troops seize guns and explosives in a drive to restore order.

 

The source said three Somalis were killed after two Ethiopian lorries were fired on in the northern Arafat area close to a hospital.

 

He said: "Thirty minutes of heavy fighting followed. There are deaths on both sides."

 

It was not clear who carried out the attack. Somali gunmen have fired at Ethiopian soldiers several times this month.

 

"Guerrilla war"

 

Ethiopia wants to withdraw its soldiers in the coming weeks but diplomats fear that would leave the government vulnerable to remnants of the Union of Islamic Courts, UIC, who have vowed to fight a guerrilla war.

 

Somalia's stability is also under threat from competing clans and warlords seeking to re-create their fiefdoms.

 

African Union officials arrived in Somalia at the week-end to finalise plans for a peacekeeping force.

 

The African Union's Peace and Security Council agreed this week to increase the number of troops from a proposed 8,000-strong deployment and called on the international community to fund the peace mission.

 

Uganda has said it is ready to provide the first battalion, but is awaiting the approval of parliament.

 

Kenya, the chair of regional body IGAD, has sent top officials to several African nations to seek support for the force.

[Jabhad]

Somalia shuts down broadcasters

 

There are several different radio stations in Somalia

Somalia's main broadcasters have been ordered to close, shortly after the interim president set up a new team to end the "chaos" in the capital.

Three top Somali radio stations and al-Jazeera TV are affected. They have been ordered to appear before the national security agency.

 

A policeman was killed and a convoy of government and Ethiopian troops attacked in overnight violence.

 

The president returned to Mogadishu last week, after Islamists were routed.

 

"The city is in chaos. It's not safe," he said, as he appointed a mayor, Adde Gabow, and three other officials to run the city.

 

Now I worry about whether the government will take responsibility for our safety

 

Hassan Mohamoud

Disarmed Mogadishu resident

Somalia has not had an effective national government for 16 years.

 

President Abdullahi Yusuf was elected at peace talks two years ago but has been powerless until Ethiopian forces helped drive out Islamists.

 

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that senior Islamist leaders may have been arrested after crossing the border into Kenya.

 

Explosions

 

Three local radio stations received a letter, signed by Mogadishu security chief Colonel Ahmed Hassan Ali, ordering them to close immediately:

 

 

Shabelle Radio

Radio HornAfrik

Voice of the Koran radio.

Correspondents say the radio stations have stopped broadcasting.

 

Shabelle Media deputy chairman Mohamed Amin told the AFP news agency he was "disappointed" by the measure.

 

Government spokesman Abduraman Dinari told another local radio station that those affected were "instigating violence", AFP reports.

 

"We are not undermining the freedom of expression, we are ensuring the security of the Somali people," he said.

 

The move comes days after the interim parliament - based in Baidoa - authorised the government to impose martial law in Mogadishu.

 

The policeman was killed when unknown gunmen opened fire on a police station in the north-eastern Hurwa district.

 

The convoy was heading to the police station when it was ambushed, sparking a 20-minute gunbattle, in which one vehicle was destroyed, witness say.

 

 

The government is trying to restore order in Mogadishu

"I have seen one Ethiopian military vehicle burning after it was hit by an RPG [rocket-propelled grenade]," said Shine Moalim Hussein.

 

The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan says that explosions could be heard in many areas of the city overnight.

 

It is not clear who is behind these and other attacks but the Islamists vowed to launch a guerrilla war, as they fled the Ethiopian advance. Many armed Islamists are thought to have remained in the capital in hiding.

 

The violence comes as an African Union delegation is in the city to discuss the deployment of peacekeepers.

 

Ethiopia says it wants its forces to pull out within weeks.

 

Over the weekend, the regional body, Igad, sent envoys to seven African countries, asking them to contribute to a proposed 8,000-strong peacekeeping force - Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, Tunisia and Algeria.

 

So far only Uganda has offered troops - 1,500 - although it needs parliamentary approval.

 

Security fears

 

BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says African leaders are concerned about becoming bogged down in a quagmire.

 

The latest attacks followed an operation by government and Ethiopian troops to disarm Mogadishu residents.

 

After years of conflict and lawlessness, many Somalia possess their own weapons.

 

Hassan Mohamoud said troops entered his house early on Sunday and seized his Kalashnikov gun.

 

"I bought the gun about 10 years ago in order to safeguard myself and my family," he said.

 

"But now I worry about whether the government will take responsibility for our safety

[Jabhad]

Maybe an 8 thousand African troops will be more successfull than the 30 thousand Ethios currently in Somalia!!

[Castro]

^ LOOOOL. There were 28,000 US troops in Muqdisho area at some point and even they couldn't keep this town under control. How can some dabadhilif, Ethiopian and Malawis do it?

[Jabhad]

The hunt to kill and capture dabadhilifs and their Ethio masters is just starting!!

 

 

Habeennadii aynu ka soo gudubnay ayaa waxaa magaalada Muqdisho ka dhacayay qaraxyo is-daba joog ah oo qaar lala beegsaday fariisimo ay ku sugnaayeen Ciidamada Dowladda Federaalka iyo kuwa Itoobiyaanka ah ee gacanta siinaya halka kuwo kalena lala beegsaday Hotello ay ku sugnaayeen mas’uuliyiin ka tirsan Dowladda Federaalka Soomaaliya.

 

 

 

Madaxweynaha Dowladda Federaalka Soomaaliya C/llaahi Yuusuf Axmed ayaa sheegay in uu dulqaadkii ka sii dhamaanayo, isla markaana aysan sii eegan karin in habeen kasta uu magaalada Muqdisho qarax ka dhaco, wuxuuna sheegay in ay tallaabo ka qaadi doonaan kooxaha ka dambeeya qaraxyada.

 

 

 

Dhanka kalena, Koox Maleeshiyo ah oo hubeysan ayaa waxay weerareen Saldhigga Booliska Dayax ee Suuqa Xoolaha, halkaasi oo ay ku dileen qaar ka mid ah Ciidamadii Saldhigga joogay, iyagoo kadibna ka qaatay qori gacmeedyo ay Ciidamadu heysteen.

 

Si Kastaba arrintu ha ahaatee, falkii nabadgelyo darrada ahaa ee xalay ka dhacay Magaalada Muqdisho ayaa waxay ku soo beegmayaa iyadoo maalintii Sabtida ahayd ee aynu ka soo gudubnay uu Baarlamaanka Soomaaliya ansixiyay sharci dalka lagu gelinayo xaalad deg deg ah, kaasi oo awood gaar ah siinaya Madaxweyne C/llaahi Yuusuf Axmed iyo iyadoo ay maalintii shalay ahayd Ciidamada Dowladda Federaalka Muqdisho ka fuliyeen howlgal hub uruurin ah.

 

 

 

Salaad Iidow Xasan (Xiis), Hiiraan Online

 

sxiis@hiiraan.com

 

Mogadishu, Somalia

[rudy-Diiriye]

looks the welcome party has just started...! where it go tfg....tigree friendly goofballs~~

[Wisdom_Seeker]

LOL @ Tigree Friendly Goofballs

[Faarax-Brawn]

Hehehe@Goofballs. Nice one rudz

[RedSea]

lol@Rudy.

 

Well,the TFG is a legitamate Somali government,fully recognised around the world.In the first act of the marshal law this week,the government of the republic of "somalia" has shut down all broadcasting news stations.This is an act to organize the media,nothing more.

 

As it stands today,Muqdisho is calm,as our brave fighters of Tigrays control the voilence that could erupt as a result of the dissafication of the people after the ouster of the UIC.The TFG will manage to bring Xamar which previously failed by many before under full control,becuase with the help of 8,000 ugaali eating S.O.Bs who are on their way.

 

We will not need the Ethiopian troops,their job is done,but they will remain as mentour to our young "nation" as we get ready to cash in on this thing.

[Taako Man]

^ Ugaali is a staple of Somali food. In the south everybody eats it. Although its termed "SOOR". I guess we have more in common with our ugaali brothers then the biscuits and tea people in that triangle up north EH? LOOOL

[RedSea]

^I love Muqumad(oodkac)don't you like that as well? tada tada

[bambo]

One can be disatisfaction with Tfg or hate it , but to advocate civil unrest and choes is not alternative or reasoneable idea .

 

 

resident of xaamar are tired of choas and civil unrest . The fact is that if resident of xaamar wanted to remove abdulahi from xaamar they can with all the fireweapons in moqadishu , you dont see that happenning . what we see is view bandit here and there attacking TFG convoys etc .

 

some people here are jumping ahead of iuc , iuc could of put up stiff resistance in xaamar , they did not to give people chance for peace .

[RedSea]

^ the choas=TFG

 

civil unrest=TFG(puppet "gov").

Xamar war peaceful before,now there is civil unrest.

 

 

ICU=peace and great chance for governance in southern somalia..they are gone,here comes trouble.