Rampaging Somali Youths Attack Coalition Troops : Africa: Two embassies in Mogadishu are assaulted in the worst unrest since deployment of U.S. forces.

Hundreds of screaming Somali youths hurled rocks, lumber and scrap metal at U.S.-led troops, built fiery barricades and attacked two embassies here Wednesday to protest a victory by a rival warlord they said was helped by the coalition forces.

Some reports put casualties at up to five Somalis killed and 15 wounded. Other witnesses said U.S. troops had shot and killed at least nine Somalis. At least two U.S. Marines were also wounded.

Maj. Ken Roberts, a U.S. military spokesman, said there were no reports of allied troops killing or wounding any Somalis. But one U.S. soldier speaking on condition of anonymity said his group had killed two Somalis and wounded several others.

It was the worst unrest since a 23-nation force headed by the United States began deploying in Somalia in December under a U.N. mandate.

The rioting forced relief workers to take shelter in their compounds and halted virtually all aid work in the capital.

The violence also could delay plans for a U.N. force to take over peacekeeping duties from the 17,000 U.S. troops and their allies.

“We don’t want the Americans to leave,” said Khalif Sheik Mohammed, 30, standing next to overturned merchants’ stalls and burning piles of debris. “We only want . . . justice.”

But other protesters yelled “America out of Somalia!” and “Go home, Americans!”

The unrest occurred along a road leading to the former U.S. Embassy, where U.S.-led coalition troops are based. Witnesses said some of those killed had apparently blockaded the embassy compound and were trying to storm it brandishing stones, knives or their bare hands.

Gunfire rattled throughout the day near a traffic circle on the road as coalition soldiers fired into the air to disperse mobs.

Demonstrators attacked and looted the Egyptian Embassy near the circle. An armored personnel carrier crashed through the wall of the compound to drive out the demonstrators. They left after tearing down the Egyptian flag and throwing it into a bonfire.

Assailants threw two grenades into the compound near where soldiers had taken up positions, wounding an unidentified Marine lance corporal in the hip, U.S. military officials said. The other Marine was shot in the leg near the traffic circle.

The French Embassy was attacked Wednesday morning by about 200 armed men who opened fire on the building after surrounding it, the French Foreign Ministry said in Paris. Ministry spokesman Daniel Bernard said French soldiers dispersed the mob by firing into the air. There were no injuries.

Both Egypt and France have contributed forces to the coalition.

The rioting caused aid workers and many foreign journalists to hunker down in their hotels.

“We haven’t been in the streets since noon because when you go out into the streets you see roadblocks and burning tires,” said Elizabeth Dyer, a spokeswoman for CARE, in a telephone interview. “People are attacking cars with stones and sticks. There’s a general feeling of excitement and hostility out there.”

Dyer said 35 relief kitchens capable of feeding 5,000 people each will be closed today.

“There is no way to get food to them if we were unable to load the trucks” on Wednesday, she said.

The violence shows that the allies, who arrived 2 1/2 months ago to end clan warfare so relief agencies could help millions of Somalis threatened by starvation, face continuing political and security problems.

The protest began Tuesday night after warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid, in a radio address, accused the coalition forces of allowing his ally, Col. Omar Jess, to be driven out of the southern city of Kismayu by forces loyal to Mohamed Siad Hirsi, known as Gen. Morgan.

Morgan is the son-in-law of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, who was driven from power in January, 1991.

U.S. officials said Morgan has agreed to comply with an allied ultimatum to pull his forces out of Kismayu. Aidid told his followers to wait and see if Morgan’s forces comply with the ultimatum.

Allied helicopters dropped leaflets telling Somalis of the ultimatum and urging calm.

On the radio Wednesday evening, Aidid thanked the demonstrators but also called for restraint.

“We need to respect foreigners who came to help our starving people,” he said.

Aidid also demanded that the coalition forces arrest Morgan.