60 killed in warring groups clashes in Somalia
Somalia, Politics, 3/24/2006

The continued bloody clashes since Wednesday evening between gunmen backed by warring Somali militias in the northern part of the capital Mogadishu resulted in killing almost 60 persons.

Thursday's clashes between gunmen supporting the businessman al-Haj Abu Kar Omar who is supported by the militias of the Islamic Courts and the followers of Bashir Rahi member of the "Coalition To Restoring Peace And Fighting Terrorism" resulted in killing 40 persons after relatives of the victims admitted their injured people to hospitals.

On Thursday, the militias resumed fighting after they gathered their forces and weapons and this also resulted in killing other 20 persons, according to medical sources.

According to one member of the coalition for Restoring Peace And Fighting Terrorism the clashes came over a difference on the ownership of a land near Ibsli airport, 30 km north of Mogadishu.

A coalition of war lords was composed in February with the aim to limit the influence of the Islamists in Somalia, while the Islamic militias said it desires to keep law and order.

But one leader of the Islamic Courts said that the fighting has no connection to Islam, calling on the warring sides to carry out unconditional talks among themselves.

Thursday's clashes came after fighting between the two sides erupted on February 18 and lasted for four days leaving 22 persons as killed, and injured other 120.

Since toppling the regime of Muhammad Seyad Berri in 1991, the country was split to sectors dominated by war lords in a country inhabited by 10 million people.

Hopes were renewed to achieving peace when the interim government which was formed in 2004 convened a session for the parliament in Bedawa in southern Somalia in February but failed to control the strong leaders of the militias or to unify their ranks.

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  Smugglers forced 137 persons into deep waters off Yemeni coast   (2/28/2006)
  UN envoy in Somalia urges leaders to chose reconciliation over chaos   (2/27/2006)
  UN leads meeting to map reconstruction of Somalia   (11/23/2005)
  Five killed in attack on Somali prime minister   (11/7/2005)

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