Fresh Somalia clashes claim lives

"Gunmen attacked an Ethiopian base in the former ministry of defence building. They fired mortar shells and machine guns and the Ethiopians responded," Ali Nur Said, a witness, said on Friday.

"The gunmen drove away after the ambush," said Hussein Sheikh Farah, who lives near the facility in the Somali capital.

Witnesses said the eight, including some children, were killed by stray mortar shells and bullets.

"The situation is very grave. Three children have been killed, they were from the same family," said Mohamed Gure Hassan, a resident in Shiirkole area in southern Mogadishu.

Two other people were killed in northern Mogadishu's Sanaa area by a long range shell, spreading panic in the area that had been spared in the recent days, said Abdulahi Shegow.

Three others died near the capital's main Bakara market, including a woman and an old man killed by stray bullets, witnesses said.

Ugandan deployment

A Ugandan delegation in Mogadishu on Friday said Ugandan forces would be deployed "as soon as possible," according to Salad Ali Jelle, the Somali deputy defence minister.

Ruth Nankabirwa, Uganda's deputy defence minister said: "The troops are ready to deploy and they are on standby mode."

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