Sunday, October 30, 2011
Hundreds have moved to the government-controlled areas after fresh fighting broke out in the district of Daynille north west of the capital between al-Shabaab and Somali government forces backed by African Union tanks. Most of these people say they fear an imminent attack from the government forces advancing into al-Shabaab-held area.
Katra Ahmed a mother of seven says she fled from Elasha Biyaha after several AU shells landed near Tredish and Garsa Balay villages located a few meters from the IDP camp. She fears losing her children in a government assault. Katra adds that many of her neighbors had lost their loved ones in the fighting.
Ahmed Noor Ali a businessman also fled Elasha Biyaha with his family and says he has lost a lot in the war and does not wish to see a repeat of the same. He adds that Mogadishu residents have suffered greatly in the endless civil war.
Thousands have died in the Somalia civil war but the deaths escalated since 2006 after the Ethiopian troops invaded Somalia to prop up the transitional government and now fears rise over heavy loss of life and injury by mortar attacks from al-Shabaab or the shelling of African Union forces.