FIGHTING engulfed Mogadishu yesterday as a mortar shell killed 13 people and wounded 29 at the sprawling Bakaraha market and the strongman in north Mogadishu, Mr Ali Mahdi Mohamed, sent his militia to fire artillery shells across the "Green Line."
Analysts said they feared this was the beginning of a long battle to control the battered Somali capital, divided into enclaves ruled by rival warlords.
The thunderous fighting began in south Mogadishu on Thursday night, with the militias using mortars, howitzers, anti-aircraft guns, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine-guns in the broad avenues and narrow alleys of thee city.
Some civilians were killed by stray rounds far from the fighting.
Estimates of the death toll ranged between 41 and 133. The lowest count came from medical sources, but many militiamen are" buried secretly to avoid letting rival factions know the extent of casualties.
At least 81 people were wounded, the medical sources said.
The fighting is pitting the militiamen of Mr Hussein Mohamed Aidid (34) against those of the other three warlords in Mogadishu.
It started in the Medina enclave of south Mogadishu where Mr Aidid's father, Gen Mohamed Farah Aidid, was fatally wounded in a battle in July. He died on August 1st.
Medina is controlled by Mr Musse Sudi Yalahow, whose Abgal clan is allied with the Abgals of Mr Ali Mahdi Mohamed.
The militiamen of Mr Osman Hassan Ali "Atto," who holds another section of south Mogadishu, belong to Mr Aidid's Habr Gedir clan, but are fighting alongside Mr Yalahow's militia.
Mr Osman Atto helped finance Gen Aidid's battles against US and UN troops who arrived in Somalia to protect aid going to famine victims and then became embroiled in the clan wars, but he later fell out with him.
The young Mr Aidid is a former US marine who grew up in the US and was appointed to succeed his father, despite his inexperience, in a bid to prevent defections from the Aidid alliance.
Both Mr Aidid and Mr Ali Mahdi claim the title of "interim president of Somalia," which has been without a recognised government since 1991.