MOGADISHU, Somalia Oct 27 (Garowe Online) - Somalia's capital Mogadishu saw some of the heaviest fighting Saturday after Ethiopian troops raided insurgent strongholds, leading to a firefight that killed nearly 20 people including three soldiers from Ethiopia.

The fighting was heavy in south Mogadishu neighborhoods where insurgent attacks are most frequent. The Ethiopian armed forces used heavy weaponry, including tanks, in the battle with the Somali resistance fighters.

Mortars rained down on parts of Mogadishu, residents said. Medical contacts at several Mogadishu hospitals confirmed that a total of 30 wounded civilians were admitted today.

The insurgents succeeded in briefly capturing Hodan Police Station. They looted assets inside station before withdrawing in the face of superior firepower, neighbors reported.

The interim Somali government, backed by the Ethiopian army, is fighting to contain an insurgency led by Islamic Courts fighters known as "muqawama."

The muqawama fighters are opposed to the government and its Ethiopian backers.

Source: Garowe Online