Civilians brace for more fighting in Somali capital

Fighters loyal to an Islamic militia and their secular rivals manoeuvred heavily armed trucks around city streets and reinforced their positions in Somalia’s capital early today, following a battle that residents said was the most widespread fighting in 14 years.

Doctors in Mogadhisu’s hospitals and clinics raised the death toll to 60, with more than 150 people wounded in yesterday’s running battle across Mogadishu, said Dr. Abdi Ibrahim Jiya of the Somali Doctors Association.