The International News, Pakistan, 1735 PST, Thursday, March 11, 2010  

  MOGADISHU: More than 20 civilians were killed Thursday in a second day of intense fighting between Somali government troops and insurgent forces in the capital Mogadishu, a medical source said.

The government troops backed by African Union peacekeepers raided a position held by the insurgents in the north of the war-riven capital, sparking the heavy firefight.

"The civilian casualty (toll) is very high today. We counted more than 20 civilians who were killed this morning alone," head of Mogadishu ambulance services Ali Muse told a foreign news agency.

"The medical staff collected around 83 civilians who were injured in the crossfire and the mortars and artillery shells."

Somali government security official Mohamed Nur said their forces overran the rebels' base in the same neighbourhood as the Al Qaeda-linked Shebab fighters attacked them on Wednesday.

At least 23 civilians were killed in Wednesday's clashes.

"We have taken control of the position of the terrorists where they used to arrange their attacks. Our forces, getting assistance from the African peacekeepers, are now gaining military momentum in northern Mogadishu," Nur said.

"The enemy completely emptied their positions here in northern Mogadishu after being forced to retreat. Three of our soldiers are injured so far," Nur added.

The government forces have been planning a wide offensive to dislodge the insurgents from Mogadishu, where the rebels have confined the Western-backed government of President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to just a handful of zones.

Residents reported seeing AU tanks moving into their neighbourhood.

"Two military tanks and six other armoured vehicles belonging to the AU forces were at the frontline and one of their bulldozers was filling the trenches dug by the insurgents in the street," said Said Yusuf, a witness.

The AU-backed government forces and the Shebab fighters have been locked in a tense stand-off since the government announced plans in January to dislodge the radical Islamists from Mogadishu.

In January, Mogadishu residents started fleeing ahead of the planned government offensive but the assault never came and some civilians have started returning to the war-battered capital.