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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Heavy fighting erupts in Somalia | Heavy fighting erupts in Somalia |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Heavy fighting has broken out in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, between government forces backed by Ethiopian troops and armed insurgents. | Heavy fighting has broken out in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, between government forces backed by Ethiopian troops and armed insurgents. |
| A BBC correspondent says seven people were killed in the battle, the heaviest since the Islamists fell last year. | A BBC correspondent says seven people were killed in the battle, the heaviest since the Islamists fell last year. |
| There are reports that angry crowds dragged dead soldiers' bodies through the streets and set them on fire. | |
| Some 1,200 African Union troops were deployed to Mogadishu this month to try to bring stability to the city. | Some 1,200 African Union troops were deployed to Mogadishu this month to try to bring stability to the city. |
| Dozens have been killed during insurgent attacks in Mogadishu in the past two and a half months, which the government blames on remnants of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). | Dozens have been killed during insurgent attacks in Mogadishu in the past two and a half months, which the government blames on remnants of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). |
| Ethiopian troops, who have been in the city since December supporting Somali forces loyal to the transitional government, have been gradually handing over responsibilities to the AU force. | Ethiopian troops, who have been in the city since December supporting Somali forces loyal to the transitional government, have been gradually handing over responsibilities to the AU force. |
| Signal | Signal |
| The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says armed masked men confronted the government and Ethiopian forces on patrol. | The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says armed masked men confronted the government and Ethiopian forces on patrol. |
| Photographs of the incident show people gathered around the body of a soldier killed during the fighting. | Photographs of the incident show people gathered around the body of a soldier killed during the fighting. |
| Other pictures posted on the Shabelle Media Network's website appear to show the bodies of two soldiers being dragged through the streets. | Other pictures posted on the Shabelle Media Network's website appear to show the bodies of two soldiers being dragged through the streets. |
| Shabelle reports that one was a Somalia government soldier, the other an Ethiopian fighter. | Shabelle reports that one was a Somalia government soldier, the other an Ethiopian fighter. |
| Correspondents say the scenes evoke memories of events in 1993 when the bodies of US soldiers were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu by militiamen. | |
| Somalia enjoyed a six-month lull in the insecurity that had dogged the country for the past 16 years when the UIC took power last year. | Somalia enjoyed a six-month lull in the insecurity that had dogged the country for the past 16 years when the UIC took power last year. |
| But insecurity has returned to the city and the UN estimates some 40,000 people have fled from Mogadishu since February. | But insecurity has returned to the city and the UN estimates some 40,000 people have fled from Mogadishu since February. |
| Our correspondent says there has been a dramatic escalation in attacks against government targets in recent weeks. | Our correspondent says there has been a dramatic escalation in attacks against government targets in recent weeks. |
| It comes at a time when the government says it plans to hold a national reconciliation conference in Mogadishu in April. | It comes at a time when the government says it plans to hold a national reconciliation conference in Mogadishu in April. |
| Insurgents may want to signal that the city is not safe to hold the meeting, he says. | Insurgents may want to signal that the city is not safe to hold the meeting, he says. |