Tens Killed in Insurgent Attack on Somali Presidential Villa

At least 15 people died Wednesday as the Islamist Al Shabaab insurgents attacked Somalia’s presidential villa in Mogadishu, leading to intense street fighting between government troops and insurgent fighters. Eyewitnesses say several mortar shells hit the villa and its surrounding area, killing at least five civilians in neighbouring homes, four others in the nearby Bakara Market and four soldiers in combat. It is unclear exactly how many people were killed, with Dahir Mohamed Hersi, a Somali military spokesman, claiming that government forces killed at least 8 insurgents while Al Shabaab claimed to have killed 14 soldiers. [PE]