Somali civilians flee Mogadishu fighting

People living inMogadishu were fleeing the city on Thursday as fighting between rival militias that has already killed more than 100 people threatened to intensify.

An alliance of warlords has been fightingan Islamist militiasince Sunday in the northern districts of the Somali capital. At least 122 people have been killed, 26 since nightfall Wednesday. More than 200 have been wounded.

Most of the dead or wounded have been civilians caught in the crossfire as the rivals fire heavy machine guns and mortars.

"I could see hundreds of people fleeing from the area, fearing that the fighting could escalate.Also, militiamen have been exchanging heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades," said BBC reporter Mohammed Olad Hassan, who was in Mogadishu.

"Really, the situation is very horrific. I met different people there that said the mortar shells were landing in civilian areas."

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the clashes.

Neither a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an arms embargo nor mediation efforts inside the country have helped calm the latest fighting.

The Islamists, who are allegedly tied to al-Qaeda, tried on Sundayto capture a strategic road from the warlords, who reportedly have the backing of the United States. Fighting hasescalated since.

Mohammed Ali Gedi, the prime minister of Somalia's UN-backed transitional government,has called for an end to the fighting. The government has little influence beyond its headquarters in Baidoa, 240 kilometres west of Mogadishu.

In neighbouring Kenya, Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju said the international community needs to stop ignoring the bloodshed and anarchy that has raged across Somalia since dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991.

"After 15 years we must have the presence of mind and courage that this is something that we must bring to a stop," he said. "The Somali problem must be solved now."