Heavy shelling and gun battles crumbled houses and left at least 10 people dead in a bloody night of fighting in the volatile Somali capital Mogadishu, witnesses said Thursday, according to DPA. Residents were awoken in the barrage of violence, with a 30 minute exchange of fire between insurgents and Ethiopian-backed government troops culminating in the soldiers launching a hail of mortar shells at militia targets, hitting civilians in the crossfire. Police spokesman Yusuf Dhumal said nine policemen were wounded when a grenade landed near them.
