MOGADISHU, Somalia Mar 24 (Garowe Online) - Somali rebels waging war on the country’s Ethiopian-backed transitional government attacked a police station in the capital Mogadishu, igniting a bloody battle that killed at least two police officers and one of the attackers, witnesses said.

The fighting sparked Monday morning after a police unit aboard two armored trucks arrived at the Hodan police station, which the police force abandoned a month ago.

Insurgents used machineguns, hand grenades and rocket launchers during the attack.

The police unit was forced to vacate the Hodan police station and wait for Somali army reinforcements, witnesses said.

Ethiopian troops stationed at the former Digfer Hospital drove their armed trucks towards the scene of the fighting, but the soldiers were not directly involved in the battle and did not meet any resistance.

Eyewitnesses said the dead bodies of the two police officers could be seen lying on the ground near the entrance to the Hodan police station for two hours.

Medical officials at Mogadishu’s Medina Hospital confirmed to Garowe Online that five wounded civilians were admitted following today’s battle.

Today’s fighting comes a day after Somali Prime Minister Nur “Adde” Hassan Hussein met with clan elders from the Hawiye Tradition and Unity Council, a group of dissident clan elders from Mogadishu’s dominant Hawiye community.

Mogadishu locals remained worried that the Hawiye clan elders are unable to control the insurgents.

Source: Garowe Online