At least nine people have been killed and several others wounded in a fierce exchange of fire between government forces and local fighters in the Somali capital. The head of Mogadishu's ambulance service said Wednesday that 31 civilians had been wounded by shelling. Sources say of those killed, 6 were civilians and the rest local fighters.
According to the Somali Defense Ministry, government soldiers raided a base belonging to the fighters in retaliation to an earlier attack.
Since last May, Mogadishu has been the scene of daily battles between government forces and local fighters -- both trying to take control of the capital. Most of the rest of the country is controlled by anti-government forces.