381 killed in Somali gunfights

Four days of fierce fighting in Somalia's capital between Ethiopian-backed government forces and Islamic insurgents has killed 381 people, a local human rights organisation said today.

"For the last four days we have registered 381 deaths and 565 people wounded," said Sudan Ali Ahmed, chairman of Elman Human Rights Organisation.

Ahmed said the majority of dead and injured are civilians and that the death toll could be higher as they have not counted Ethiopian casualties.

The figures were calculated from hospital figures, local resident groups in Mogadishu and burials.

The causality figures are the first to be released following the worst violence in the battle-scarred capital for 15 years.