Somali journalists join exodus fleeing heavy fighting in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, 31 March 2007 - The largest exodus ever witnessed in the last 15 years is going on in the Somali capital Mogadishu as heavy fighting continued for the third day, Somalia's local Shabelle Media Network reported Saturday, saying even it's staff are also joining the people fleeing the city.

In a notice posted on its website, Shabelle notifies online visitors that the network is difficult to update news stories as previously due to the intensifying fighting in Mogadishu.

"The fighting has also affected our personnel as they are increasingly becoming part of the civilians fleeing from the capital city," said the notice. "Indiscriminate shelling by both warring sides of Ethiopian soldiers and Somali insurgents is making every move difficult as the living standard in Mogadishu is coming to its worst and all businesses are closed."

The fighting started Thursday when Ethiopian troops and Somali transitional government forces backed by tanks and helicopters launched attacks against strongholds of the clan insurgents.

According to local hospital sources and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the fiercest battle in more than a decade in the city has killed at least 30 people and wounded 229.

"We have been doing our utmost to update our visitors around the world since our inception, but now we are witnessing the most complex atmosphere to work on," said Chairman of Shabelle, Abdi Maalik Yusuf, in a statement issued Saturday.

"Our journalists are either trying to get their families out of the capital or they themselves are fleeing. The artillery shelling is frightening everyone," the chairman elaborated.

In the very few streets still open for civilians in the capital, cars carrying families and their belongings are racing to get out of the city.

"Pray for people in Mogadishu to survive from the onslaught which is destructing the already war ravaged city," the notice said.