Witnesses to a shooting in Somalia say at least four people were killed Saturday after an Ethiopian military convoy was attacked in Mogadishu.
The Ethiopian soldiers are reported to have opened fire with anti-aircraft guns after at least one unidentified person shot at the convoy. The victims were bystanders caught in crossfire. Several people were wounded.
Today's incident follows an attack Friday on the presidential residence in Mogadishu. Witnesses say unidentified gunmen fired mortar shells into Villa Somalia, then exchanged gunfire with troops before retreating. There were no reports of casualties.
Somalia's interim government is trying to establish its authority after driving out Islamic militias with the help of Ethiopian forces. The Horn of Africa nation has been mired in anarchy since warlords ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
The African Union's Peace and Security Council approved a plan Friday to send nearly 8,000 AU peacekeepers to Somalia, as Ethiopia has indicated it is anxious to withdraw its forces from the war-torn country. But so far, only Uganda has agreed to provide troops for the proposed mission.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
