16 Aug 2009
At least nine people have been killed and a projected 19 others injured in clashes between Somali rebels and government troops aided by international forces.

Heavy fighting has been reported in the Somali capital, Mogadishu where pro-government soldiers backed by African Union forces shelled each other's positions with artillery and mortar fire that left nine dead and many wounded, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Also on Saturday AU expanded their operations against the Al Shabaab insurgents in the districts populated by Somali citizens, where the government says Al Shabaab rebels used civilians as human shields in the campaign to obtain control over the 'lawless' state.

Gun battles wage in Wardhiigley, Hamar Jajab and Hamar Weyne districts around the capital in power struggles as conflicting figures of casualties surface from the bloody arena.

Meanwhile pro-government militias claim they have regained control of areas seized earlier by Al Shabaab guerillas and are pushing to drive the militants group out of the capital.

The latest development comes as Djibouti, Somalia's small northern neighbor, expresses readiness to send troops to the war-torn Horn of Africa nation in a bid to help staunch the decade-long unrest in the poverty-stricken Muslim nation.

Death toll from the civil war in Somalia has been on the rise in recent months amid mounting pressure by international troops against the Somali fighters who seek more leverage in the Somalia polity.
presstv