The death toll in Somalia's worst fighting for a decade rose to more than 120 on Thursday, as militias battled for control of the capital with mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns.
Hundreds of people were wounded as shells crashed into their homes in Mogadishu's overcrowded northern shanty town of Siisii. Many more fled to escape the fighting, which spread to neighbouring heavily populated areas on Thursday.
Hospitals said at least 27 people were killed in fighting that continued overnight as gunmen manned makeshift checkpoints and raced through the streets in pickup trucks mounted with heavy guns.
That brought the death toll from five days of fighting in the failed Horn of Africa state to at least 121. Residents said more people had died during daylight fighting on Thursday, although chaos in Mogadishu made it difficult to obtain details.
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