7 civilians, including 3 children, die in fighting between gov't and rebels in Somali capital

By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN | Associated Press Writer

4:12 AM EDT, July 21, 2008

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) _ Hours of fighting in the Somali capital killed at least seven civilians, including three young siblings who were leaving a religious school when a mortar landed nearby, witnesses said Monday.

Sunday's fighting pitted insurgents against government forces and their Ethiopian allies, who come under regular attack in Mogadishu, one of the most violent cities in the world.

"One of the shells landed near a Quranic school, killing three children from the same family," said resident Abdi Moalim Haji, who saw the carnage and recognized the children, aged 6, 8 and 11. About 11 other people were injured, he said. His account was confirmed by another witness, Abdi Nur Ahmed.

It was not immediately clear how many combatants died; each side claimed to have inflicted heavy losses.

Islamic militants have been fighting the government and its Ethiopian allies for control since their combined forces pushed the Islamists from the capital in December 2006. But Somalia's government has failed to deliver any basic services, is riddled with corruption and comes under daily attack from the insurgents.

Somalia is in the grip of a humanitarian emergency, with more than 2 million people dependent on aid. Violence against aid workers in Somalia has dramatically increased in the past few weeks, with six killed since late June and five others kidnapped.

It is unclear who is behind the killings, since many factions in Somalia's chaotic war stand to benefit from them.

Powerful local leaders have previously complained that aid workers are feeding Islamic insurgents who had sworn to fight the government. Insurgents have also targeted Somalis affiliated with foreign organizations in the past. The problem has been compounded by the growth of professional kidnapping rings, who security experts say have been encouraged by the large ransoms paid by foreigners to release ships taken by pirates.

Arid, impoverished Somalia has not had a functioning government since warlords overthrew a socialist dictator in 1991 then turned their clan-based militias on each other.