MOGADISHU, Jan 14, 2008- At least 12 people died and more than 25 were wounded in overnight clashes on the border between Somalia’s breakaway northern regions of Puntland and Somaliland, officials and witnesses said today.

One person also died in clashes between Somali forces and Islamist insurgents today in the volatile Somali capital Mogadishu, witnesses said.

An official in the northern Puntland town of Bosasso accused Somaliland forces of attacking Puntland forces in the disputed northern region of Sool.

"The Somaliland forces attacked a village around the disputed border and at least 12 people died," said Bile Mohamoud Qabowsade, an information ministry official.

"We have been told that civilians are also included among the casualties but we don’t have the figure," added Muhidin Awnure Jama, an elder in the city of Las Anod.

Tension remains high in the area with sporadic clashes reported regularly.

In Mogadishu, one civilian was killed and another injured in clashes between Somali forces and insurgents in the flashpoint Bakara area early today, witnesses said. They also reported sporadic gunfire.

"They fought each other with machine guns near Howladag junction and one civilian died," said witness Hassan Ali Anteno. "He was trying to cross the road when he got caught in crossfire."

Bashir Adan, another witness, said he saw a woman wounded by a stray bullet in the same area.

Civilians have borne the brunt of almost-daily fighting in Mogadishu between Ethiopia-backed government forces and the remnants of an Islamist militia that briefly controlled large parts of the country at the end of 2006.

Hundreds of civilians have since been killed and thousands driven from their homes.

The troubled Horn of Africa nation has been plagued by civil unrest since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siyad Barre, and defied numerous peace initiatives.

Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991, while Puntland declared semi-autonomous status in 1998.

Source: AFP

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