Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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March 22, 2007

Somalis Flee Capital After Fierce Fighting Between Insurgents,
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Ethiopian Troops
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=16C059C:A6F02AD83191E1607AA40F3E609D3DA79574F7DCC14957C0 Witnesses say
fighting is spreading to new parts of Mogadishu





Smoke is seen on a general view of Mogadishu 21 Mar 2007 during heavy
fightings in the cityHundreds of Somalis are fleeing their homes in
Mogadishu, and witnesses say fighting between insurgents and Ethiopian
and Somali forces is spreading to new parts of the capital Thursday.

Doctors and witnesses say at least 22 people were killed on Wednesday.
Another 92 people, most of them civilians, were wounded by stray
bullets and artillery.

Wednesday's fighting erupted when Ethiopian tanks entered an insurgent
stronghold in southern Mogadishu. Insurgents later dragged soldiers'
corpses through the streets and set them on fire, as Somalis stoned
the bodies and chanted in support of the Islamist movement. It is not
clear whether the soldiers were Somali or Ethiopian.

Witnesses say the fighting spread Thursday to the northern part of
Mogadishu, which had previously escaped much of the violence.

Ethiopia sent troops to Somalia last December to help restore power to
the interim government. Since then, a mix of Islamists and clan
members who oppose the government's authority have staged near-daily
attacks.

The African Union has sent 1,500 Ugandan troops to Somalia in a bid to
help the government calm the situation. The AU plans to eventually
send more peacekeepers to replace the Ethiopian forces, which Addis
Ababa plans to withdraw.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.


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