Heavy Fighting Kills 2, Wounds 20 in Somali Capital
By VOA News
27 July 2009
Renewed fighting in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has killed at least two people.
Police and witnesses said Monday's clashes began when Islamist militants attacked Somali government and African Union troops in southern Mogadishu.
At least 20 others were wounded in the fighting.
The hardline Islamist groups al-Shabab and Hizbul Islam are trying to topple the Somali government and set up an Islamic state. Hundreds of people have died since the groups launched an offensive in Mogadishu in early May. Since then, more than 220,000 people have fled the Somali capital.
On Sunday, Somali government forces regained control of the central town of Beledweyne, after fighting with militants. Beledweyne, the capital of Hiran province, lies near Somalia's border with Ethiopia, about 300 kilometers north of Mogadishu.
Control of the town is vital to the Somali government because many towns in Hiran and regions to the south are under the administration of al-Shabab militants.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
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