Seven civilians killed in Somali fire fight

[Alamuti Lotus]

Source: AFP

MOGADISHU (AFP) – At least seven Somali civilians were killed Saturday in a fire fight between African Union forces and hardline Islamist rebels, medical officials said.

The Al-Qaeda-inspired Shebab rebels fired mortar rounds at the presidential palace and the airport shortly after President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed's plane landed, prompting a retaliation by the AU troops.

The civilians were killed by artillery that struck Mogadishu's main Bakara market and vehicles.

"At least seven civilians, two of them women, were killed and 31 others injured during heavy exchange of artillery and mortar fire today," said Ali Muse, the head of Mogadishu's ambulance service.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101002/wl_africa_afp/somaliaunrest

---

Typical pattern of the recent battles in Muqdishu: "terrorists" attack presidential palace or some other government/military installation, "peacekeepers" fire mortars and artillery at market or other civilians.