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7 Killed During Fighting in Somali Capital

   VOA News 19 July 2010

   Somali officials say fighting between insurgents and government forces
   in the capital, Mogadishu, has killed at least seven people.

   The  head  of  Mogadishu's  ambulance  service,  Ali Muse Sheikh, said
   Monday  that ambulance workers found the seven bodies in neighborhoods
   in the capital. He said at least 26 others were wounded.

   Ten  of  the  injured  were  children, hurt when a stray bomb from the
   clashes hit their school.

   A  spokesman  for  Islamist  militant  group  al-Shabab said the group
   captured  new  territory  during  Sunday's attacks. But the government
   denied the insurgents had made any gains.

   Al-Shabab  and  another  insurgent  group,  Hizbul  Islam,  have  been
   battling  the  government  for  control of the capital. The groups are
   trying to topple the leadership and set up a strict Islamic state.

   Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991.

   The  current  government has international backing but controls only a
   few  areas  of  the capital with the support of a few thousand African
   Union peacekeepers.

   Al-Shabab recently claimed responsibility for twin bombings in Uganda,
   which targeted people watching the World Cup final.

   The  group  said  it was avenging the death of Somali civilians at the
   hands  of  the  African  Union  peacekeeping force in Somalia. Ugandan
   troops make up the bulk of the force.

   The  bombings  marked al-Shabab's first major terrorist attack outside
   Somalia.  The  al-Qaida-linked group has warned that more attacks will
   follow.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP.

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