Issue 318

Mogadishu, Somalia, 20 February 2008 - One person died and five others wounded in a fighting stuck between the government armed forces occurred in Elasha-biyaha area of Afgoi district 30km from the capital on Wednesday residents said.

The fighting started after soldiers in the TFG dress from Baidoa town to Mogadishu clashed with Lower Shabelle region forces and the fleeting troops were opening consecutive fires until they arrived in Elasha-biyaha area.

This incident comes as thousands of IDP's fled from the capital in Afgoi district following heavy battles, frightening artily bangs and explosions rocked in the city which made reason the fleeing of those residents.

There are also thousands of IDP's huts on the sides of Afgoi stretched road those run away from the capital following the city became closed to lonely situetion following fighting hits and stray bullets and artilleries killed hundreds of Mogadishu residents.

The livelihood of the IDP's is dissimilar from the one they were in living in Mogadishu, because those used to live in stylish houses are now became living matching houses together with the poverty ones, although there some are rather smarter chalets recently built in the district but there living standard entirely distorted compared with their Mogadishu livelihood way.

Hawa Haji is a mother of six she used live in Mogadishu at home a German style villa house but now she resided a shanty house in Elasha Biyaha area as Shabelle English service visited at her new dwelling scene she told that her livelihood has completely changed although the IDP's are better life than each other for economical reasons.

"I used to live in in Howlwadag district of Mogadishu I runaway from my abode before four months after unharmed mortar landed on our home when I heard sudden bang- Jug, Jug, Jug, Jug, Jug- and ta. ta. ta. ta. ta. ta. ta. Ta firing of guns I didn't decide to stay on in Mogadishu at that time and I had to moved out on the next early morningf from it" Hawa said sitting in her new-unsatisfied house.

Also the IDP's have expressed concern about United Nation's decision towards the wrapping up of its activities in Somalia since they used to obtain some caring items including foodstuff, hut shadowed plastic bags and others from the organization as the charity told that there were security reasons causing the pull out of its international workers and activities from Somalia.