02 Oct 2009

Clashes between rival factions have resulted in the death of over 145 people and the injury of 280 more in various parts of war-torn Somalia last month, the UN reported.

The deaths have occurred mainly in Kismayo and Mogadishu in September alone, said UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic, a Press TV correspondent reported late on Friday.

Mahecic said civilians are bearing the brunt of the deadly civil conflict mostly in the south central region of the country, resulting in massive displacement of civilians in the last two months.

But the rate of displacement within Somalia has diminished over the last two months when compared to the months of May and June 2009, the spokesman said, and added that the 17,000 figure is still high for September alone, including 11,000 from the capital.

Rebel forces comprising of al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam launched a major offensive on May 7 against the embattled UN-backed transition government, which controls little more than a few blocks of Mogadishu.

However the two rebel groups have also been engaged in deadly infighting in recent days over the control of the southern port city of Kismayo, where more than 30 people have been reportedly killed.

Somalia has been without an effective central government since 1991 and, almost half of its population, 3.8 million people, is in dire need of humanitarian food aid for survival.

presstv