Thousands flee Mogadishu fighting

[Adsos Letter]

Source: aljazeera english

Thousands of people have fled the Somali capital Mogadishu amid escalating fighting between government forces and opposition fighters after the country's president declared a state of emergency.

Fierce street clashes have already claimed hundreds of lives and the government has called on neighbouring African countries to send troops to help it battle al-Shabaab fighters.

Two legislators have also been killed in the last two days of fighting and last week al-Shabab claimed responsiblity for the death of the country's security minister and at least 30 other people in a suicide car bomb attack.

At the weekend Sheikh Aden Mohamed Madobe, the parliament speaker, urged neighbouring countries to send troops to his country to prop up the government.

"We want them to come here within 24 hours," he said at a parliament meeting in the capital.




Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/06/2009621235627305583.html