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| Africa Horn |
| Somalia: 2 Killed in Mogadishu Violence, President Pardons Prisoners |
| 2008-04-02 |
| Suspected insurgents launched a sneak attack on government soldiers standing guard at a key junction in central Mogadishu, killing one soldier, witnesses said. Somali and Ethiopian troops had arrived at the intersection in Mogadishu's Wardhigley district overnight, with residents reporting that they awoke to find the soldiers and armed trucks in the neighborhood Monday morning. Insurgents then launched their sneak attack, sparking a gunfight that lasted for 20 minutes. Somali insurgents Government soldiers killed one of the attackers before forcing them to disperse into neighborhood alleys, witnesses said. Two civilians, including a woman, were wounded in the battle, according to hospital sources. In a separate attack, Islamist rebels raided a government checkpoint in El Adde town, in the region of Middle Shabelle that borders Mogadishu. Two soldiers were wounded in the attack, whereby insurgents briefly seized control of the checkpoint and confiscated tax money and documents, according to district officials. Sheikh Abdirahman Ali Ahmed, the district commissioner of Warsheikh where El Adde is located, confirmed that a total of six people were wounded, including two government soldiers. He said the town of El Adde was calm as of Monday morning after regional troops rushed in from the provincial capital, Jowhar. Meanwhile in Mogadishu, Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf extended a pardon to seven prisoners accused of having ties with insurgent groups waging war on the government. President Yusuf met with a delegation consisting of three lawmakers, including former Interior Minister Mohamed "Gamodheere" Mohamud, and Mogadishu Port Commissioner Said Siyad Shirwa before issuing the pardon. |
| Posted by:Fred |