Casualties Mount in Somali Fighting

Artillery and explosions rocked the Somali capital for the sixth day Wednesday, despite an appeal by Muslim authorities for an end to “blind shelling” by all sides.

Eight people were killed and 15 wounded in fighting in southern Mogadishu between forces loyal to faction leader Hussein Mohammed Aidid and those of his rivals, Osman Hassan Ali and Musa Sudi Yalahow. At least 107 people have died and 900 have been wounded since Friday in the worst fighting in a year.

But aid workers said they feared the death toll could be higher.

“Some 900 people have been brought to hospitals with wounds since Friday, so we would expect the death toll to be about one-third of the wounded . . . about 300,” an aid official said.

Aid workers said fighters frequently do not publicize casualties because they fear the information would be useful to enemies. The rival factions do not take the dead to hospitals, and bodies are often buried secretly, the workers said.