MOGADISHU, Somalia Oct 23 (Garowe Online) - Somalia's interim prime minister flew from the capital Mogadishu on Thursday under a shroud of secrecy, Radio Garowe reports.

Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmake flew from Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport with a delegation that included Security Minister Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, Telecommunication Minister Abdirisak Jurille, and International Cooperation Minister Abdirahman Abdishakur.

Mr. Abdikadir Walayo, the government's spokesman, said Prime Minister Sharmake received an invitation from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to visit London.

PM Sharmake flew from Mogadishu on the same day as President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, who flew to Uganda to attend an African conference after less than a week after returning to Mogadishu from an overseas trip.

At least 25 people mostly civilians were killed during shelling in Mogadishu on Thursday that erupted before President Sheikh Sharif's flight took off from the airport.

Somali lawmakers, including some of Mogadishu's ex-warlords, accused African Union peacekeepers (AMISOM) in Mogadishu of shelling civilian areas. AMISOM spokesman has rejected the allegations.

Mogadishu has been wracked by a relentless insurgency since early 2007 when insurgents began a war to overthrow the Horn of Africa country's UN-recognized interim government.

Source: Garowe Online