MOGADISHU: More than 10 people were killed today in fighting in Mogadishu between Islamic insurgents and troops of Somalia’s beleaguered government, police and hospital sources said.

The fighting broke out in the northern district of Manbolyo when the rebels attacked a government position, police officer Abdulahi Dale told AFP.

“The fighting has left more than 10 people dead so far but most of them are insurgents,” he said.

The head of the Mogadishu ambulance service, Ali Muse, said, “We

have seen around 11 people who died during the clashes

this morning and the

ambulances so far admitted 37 injured civilians in

the hospitals.”

The authorities could not confirm reports that a senior government military officer was among those killed.

Both sides claimed successes, with a spokesman for the government forces, Farhan Mohamed Arsanyo, showing journalists what he said was the body of an Afghan commander of the insurgents.

He was killed today in clashes in the northern Mogadishu district of Karan, Arsanyo said, adding, “We have nine others, some of them alive, and we will show (them) to the media.”

Mohamed Osman, a commander from the rebel Hizb Al-Islamiya, replied, “What they are claiming is totally untrue, but I confirm that we have killed their officials and commanders this morning.”