MOGADISHU, Somalia — Armed fighters attacked two African Union peacekeeping bases in Somalia’s capital, and a witness said he saw the bodies of three civilians killed.
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Armed fighters attacked two African Union peacekeeping bases in Somalia’s capital, and a witness said he saw the bodies of three civilians killed. The attack was launched Saturday afternoon, several days after Somalia’s hardline opposition leader warned AU peacekeepers to leave the country or face attacks. Earlier on Saturday, mortars were fired toward parliament while it was in session, but it was unclear if the attacks were linked. No one has officially claimed responsibility for either attack. The peacekeepers managed to repulse the insurgents after a two-hour exchange of gunfire and mortars in the Raderka neighborhood south of Mogadishu, Burundi peacekeeping spokesman Lt. Col. Ciza Justice said. "The insurgent elements have attacked our two bases. The attacks continued for two hours, but we repelled them," he said, adding that no peacekeepers were hurt. A local resident said he saw the bodies of three people killed in the violence. "I saw three dead bodies — two men and a woman. They were hit by a mortar round," Abdirfitah Ahmed Diiriye said. Another eight civilians were taken to Daynile Hospital with injuries, Dr. Hassan Gutale said. In the separate attack on the parliament complex earlier Saturday, mortars missed the parliament building where lawmakers were discussing the national budget. No politicians were hurt. But a mortar hit a police unit in the complex and killed an officer. Other mortars exploded in a nearby residential neighborhood, killing six civilians and wounding at least 21. Somalia, a broken country on the Horn of Africa, has been on the brink of anarchy since 1991 when dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown and rival clans turned on each other. It was unclear who launched Saturday’s attacks. The extremist Islamic group al-Shabab, which is listed by Washington as a terror organization, has been attacking the AU troops. However earlier this week, the leader of another hardline opposition group demanded the AU peacekeepers leave Somalia before he discusses peace between his faction and the government. Hassan Dahir Aweys — who is believed to have al-Qaida links — considers the 4,350 AU peacekeepers as "foreign invaders" and obstacles to peace. Aweys’ faction is a part of the Islamic Party, an umbrella group that is opposed to the government of President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed. Despite Aweys’ recent statement, the group has not targeted AU troops in the past. ______ In photo: Somali hardline opposition leader Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys is seen during a meeting in Mogadishu, Somalia, Friday, April 24, 2009. Aweys, who is accused of al-Qaida links, has ruled out peace talks with the government unless African Union peacekeepers leave Somalia.
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