MOGA DISHU, Somalia — Heavy fighting between Islamist militants and pro-government troops raged in several parts of Somalia’s capital Thursday, killing at least 21 people and wounding nearly 78, an official said.
Mortar shells pounded northern and southern neighborhoods in Mogadishu as militants launched attacks with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns, a witness said.
Somalia’s most dangerous militant group, al-Shabab, has launched a series of attacks over the past month after declaring a “new” war against the Somali government. There are 7,100 African Union peacekeepers stationed in Mogadishu who protect the small enclave where the weak, U.N.-backed Somali government operates.
The country hasn’t had a functioning government since 1991, and the militants hope to overthrow the transitional government and install a harsh brand of Islam across the country.
