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Mortar attack on MPs in Somalia Mortar attack on MPs in Somalia
(40 minutes later)
At least eight people have died in a day of violence in Somalia which saw mortars fired at MPs meeting for the first time since August.At least eight people have died in a day of violence in Somalia which saw mortars fired at MPs meeting for the first time since August.
Nobody was killed in the attack on parliament but witnesses say three civilians died as government forces hit back and a shell hit a radio station. No MPs were killed in the attack but witnesses say three civilians died as government forces retaliated and shells hit a radio station.
A separate roadside bomb killed at least five people, officials say.A separate roadside bomb killed at least five people, officials say.
Hard-line Islamist groups are battling Somalia's UN-backed government, which only controls a few parts of Mogadishu. Hard-line Islamist groups are battling Somalia's UN-backed government, which controls only a few parts of Mogadishu.
The BBC's Mohamed Olad Hassan says the mortar attack spread fear among MPs but they carried on debating. The BBC's Mohamed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says the mortar attack spread fear among MPs.
He says the parliament is a thick, concrete building protected by hundreds of government troops - so the MPs were not in as much danger as people outside the compound. But he says the parliament is a concrete building protected by African Union tanks and hundreds of government troops - so the MPs were not in as much danger as people outside the compound.
Earlier this month, a suicide bomber killed three ministers at a ceremony for newly graduated doctors. Eyewitnesses said three shells hit a local radio station, killing the station director's wife and two other people.
At least 17 people were injured by the mortars.
Earlier in the day a roadside bomb targeted the car of a government minister, who had defected from the insurgency. The minister was not in the car at the time, but five other people were killed.
The day of violence comes weeks after a suicide bomber killed three ministers at a ceremony for newly graduated doctors.
Rebels from the al-Shabab group have denied carrying out that attack but have been behind other suicide attacks on government targets.Rebels from the al-Shabab group have denied carrying out that attack but have been behind other suicide attacks on government targets.
They are accused of links to al-Qaeda.They are accused of links to al-Qaeda.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991.Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991.