18 dead, dozens wounded in heavy fighting between AU peacekeepers and Islamist militants

18 dead, dozens wounded in heavy fighting between AU peacekeepers and Islamist militants

2011-02-21 06:02:53 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOGADISHU (BNO NEWS) -- At least 18 people were killed and 36 other wounded during heavy fighting between Islamist militants and government forces in Somalia's capital, medical officials said Sunday.

The fighting erupted Saturday as the jihadist movement Al-Shabaab tried to retake a tunnel network, which is used by the group to move weapons and fighters around the capital, after government forces began to destroy it, the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia known as AMISOM said.

Among the dead were two peacekeepers and six rebel leaders that the Ugandan-led mission said were linked to al-Qaida, CNN reported. Five of the six rebel leaders killed during the weekend fighting were from Yemen, Pakistan, India, Kenya, Syria and a sixth of unknown nationality.

"The discovery and closure of this tunnel is a major step forward in the stabilization effort in the city," the Ugandan-led AMISOM mission said in a statement issued Sunday.

AMISOM said the combined forces now control about 60 percent of the city. The government, however, has little influence beyond Mogadishu, and Al-Shabaab controls much of south and center of the war ravaged east African country.

Somalia has not had an effective government since Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown two decades ago.

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