Two die in Mogadishu bombings
2008-04-29 16:37
Mogadishu - An explosion in southwestern Somalia killed four Ethiopian troops and prompted the soldiers to open fire, killing two civilians, witnesses said on Tuesday.
The explosion on Monday afternoon in Baidoa, 250 kilometres southwest of the capital, also wounded two Ethiopian soldiers, said resident Asha Madey Abdi.
Sheik Muqtar Roble said the Ethiopian troops opened fire after the explosion, killing two civilians and wounding another two. It was not clear what caused the blast.
Ethiopian troops supporting Somalia's shaky transitional government come under daily attack from Islamic insurgents, who they drove out of the capital in December 2006. The insurgents receive support from Ethiopia's archenemy Eritrea.
In a separate incident, 10 people were killed and 11 wounded in a land dispute in also in southwestern Somalia, officials said.
Regional Governor Xersi Cirro said regional forces were sent to Gedo region after Monday night's clashes to mediate the dispute.
Resident Mohamed Salihi said the fighting was the worst in recent months and took place in rural areas where there are no well-equipped hospitals.
Disputes over land, water and pasture rights are common in Somalia, which has not had a functioning government since 1991. The impoverished country is driven between warring clans and awash with weapons.
- AP