MOGADISHU, Oct 17: Mortar attacks in Somalia’s capital killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens more on Friday, in the latest battle pitting rebels against government and peacekeeping troops, witnesses said. Some 3,000 peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi are guarding key sites in Mogadishu as part of a planned 8,000 strong African Union (AU) mission known as Amisom.

Local people in Mogadishu said Islamist insurgents fired artillery rounds at a Ugandan military base in the city’s K4 area from nearby alleys, prompting an exchange of mortar and machinegun fire which lasted for hours.

“They attacked our defence position at K4 and we chased them...There are no casualties from our side,” an Amisom spokesman said.—Agencies