At least 15 civilians,including a 4-year-old child, were killed when insurgents andgovernment soldiers pounded each other's positions with mortars in theSomali capital overnight, residents and a nurse said Monday.
Eightbodies were removed from the rubble in northern Mogadishu, saidresident Osman Guled. Four bodies were found in another part of thecapital, said Sharifo Hussein, who lives in Yaqshid district. Threeothers died at Medina hospital, said nurse Yasmin Jim'ale.
AhmedDaud Dahir, a commander with the presidential guard, said theinsurgents lobbed more than six mortars at the presidential palace butno one there was wounded. President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed was not inthe palace during the attack because he is in neighboring Ethiopia foran African Union leaders meeting.