Battle of South Mogadishu (2009)

The Battle of South Mogadishu occurred in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on February 24, 2009. A campaign fought as part of the War in Somalia (2009–), it left at least 87 people dead and 90 more injured during what the BBC described as "the fiercest fighting in the Somali capital Mogadishu since a new president was elected last month" (January 2009). The battle was fought mainly in the south of the city. Rebels fired volleys of mortar bombs at the presidential palace, located on a hilltop in the Wardhigley district. A base for African Union and government troops in the Hodan district was also fired upon as was the nearby Howlwadag district. The recently elected President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was said to be within his palace at the time of the incident.

However, it was mainly civilians who were dislodged by the battle, experiencing the exchange of heavy machine gun fire. Abdirizak Mohamed, a Somali resident, said: "A mother and her baby died after a shell landed on their house. Their flesh was so mangled we did not know what to carry." At least 11 civilians were amongst the dead, with workers at the main Madena Hospital indicating that at one stage approximately 45 wounded had been admitted. Dahir Dheere, a doctor at the hospital, said "More injured people are being brought to us as the fighting is still going on." 15 Al-Shabab and Hizbi Islam fighters and 6 Transitional Federal Government Policemen were killed in the fighting.