MOGADISHU (AFP) — Islamist insurgents attacked African Union peacekeepers in Mogadishu Monday, sparking fierce clashes that killed at least 13 Somalis, most of them civilians, officials and witnesses said.
Insurgents attacked a base housing a Ugandan troop contingent from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), a spokesman said.
"There was an attempted attack by these violent people on our base in K4 area," Baridgye Bahuko told AFP, adding that Ugandan forces killed two of the attackers, who launched their assault with rifles and artillery.
The attack was claimed by the Shebab, the military branch of the militia that briefly controlled large parts of Somalia before being ousted last year by Ethiopian forces supporting the Somali transitional government.
According to several witnesses contacted by AFP, at least 11 civilians were killed in the ensuing exchange of fire.
"My son was among eight civilians killed by a heavy artillery shell that smashed into a building where they were all hiding, trying to avoid the crossfire," Muktar Husein Ali said.
Another local resident gave the same death toll.
"About eight dead bodies were pulled out from a building that was destroyed by an artillery shell. Most of the victims were torn to pieces," Asha Mohamed said.
Several other witnesses said the fierce clashes, which broke out shortly before 7:00 pm (1600 GMT), left another two civilians dead.
"I saw two young boys killed by an RPG explosion as they were chewing Khat (a mild narcotic leaf) behind the Ambassador Hotel," said Farah Abdi Warsame, adding that several others were wounded in the same area.
"It was a very horrific attack because these two boys were not part of the conflict," he added.
According to eyewitnesses, a child caught in the crossfire was also killed in the nearby Taleh area.
Residents cleared southern Mogadishu after the fighting, witnesses said.
In a statement posted on their website, the Shebab boasted the attack was the largest since the Ugandans were deployed in Mogadishu in March 2007.
"The Shebab mujahedeen (holy warriors) carried out an attack against the Ugandan invaders," the statement said.
"Our attack was launched from four directions... It was the heaviest attack ever on K4 where the Ugandans are based," it added.
Since the Islamists were ousted from Mogadishu by the Ethiopians in April 2007, their fighters have reverted to guerrilla warfare, targeting Somali government, Ethiopian and AMISOM forces almost daily.
Over the weekend, Islamist commander, Hassan Abdullahi Hersi, told AFP that war and not negotiations would restore peace in Somalia, dampening hopes of United Nations-mediated talks that recently took place in Djibouti.
According to international rights groups and aid agencies, at least 6,000 civilians have died in the fighting over the past year.
AMISOM has just over 2,600 Ugandan and Burundian troops in Somalia but the deployment falls far short of the 8,000 troops pledged by the pan-African body's member countries and has been unable to curb the violence.
"AU is seriously constrained by lack of funds. This is due to many member states not fulfilling their obligations in terms of contributions and subscription," AU chairman Jakaya Kikwete said in a statement released Monday.
"In Somalia, we need to fulfill our commitments," on troop contribution, the sitting Tanzanian president Kikwete added.
Last week, a UN expert panel accused Ugandan, Ethiopia and Somali troops of selling arms to the insurgents in further violation of a 1992 arms embargo on the Horn of Africa nation. Kampala and Addis Ababa denied the allegations.
